


United

by funygirl38



Series: The Path [3]
Category: Loki - Fandom
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-10
Updated: 2014-04-24
Packaged: 2018-01-04 06:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 77
Words: 278,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1077697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funygirl38/pseuds/funygirl38
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the third installment of the Descent series, it would seem Loki has it all, a family, friends, the peace of a home. But when that peace is shattered from within, Loki must fight to restore it, at all costs.</p><p> </p><p>Check out my "United" storyboard on Pinterest! http://www.pinterest.com/funygirl38/united-by-deborah-austin/</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

The flutter of movement atop the ridge caught his eye. He had stopped plowing and was kneeling in the fresh turned earth, trying to pry a rock from Blackberry's hoof with a knife. He glanced up noting his brother's presence on the rocky outcrop rising above the field and fell to his work again. A few moments more and he had the rock free. When he looked to the ridge again, there was no one there.  
The first time he had seen Thor watching him as he was marking out the fields, he had put his hand upon his ever present dagger, prepared to run but Thor had come no closer, merely remained on his horse unmoving. Loki had returned to his work then, cautious, always on his guard eventually losing track of time. When he'd looked again, he was surprised to find Thor had disappeared.  
Now he paid him little attention. Once or twice a week Thor would appear on the ridge, observing him as he worked the land with his family. On one occasion, Fen, at the time not yet five seasons old had been in the field with him, helping to sow barley. Fen had run up to him and tugged on his shirttail, “Papa, who is that man on the hill?  
“A neighbor I suppose,” Loki had replied, deigning to explain any further. Today however, Fen, now well into his sixth season, was helping his mother at the cottage and so did not see his uncle's appearance.  
The sun was low on the horizon as Loki unhitched Blackberry from the plow at the end of the field to start for home. Eidra had indulged Brenna, letting her name the two-season old mare when they had acquired her and thereafter every time Eidra and Brenna would hear him call to the horse, they would giggle.  
A short way down the rutted track between the fields and the cottage, Loki came to a small clearing and dismounted. Towards the edge of the treeline was a small cairn. He walked over to it and stood silent for a bit looking at the round smooth stones he'd hauled from the stream running through their property.  
A little less than two months after she had returned to Asgard, Eidra had become pregnant again. In stark contrast to her first pregnancy, she had been plagued with morning sickness for months, her back ached constantly and she was always tired, her sleep often restless, filled with nightmares. Thus it happened, while they sat before the hearth one evening, Loki plaiting a length of rope as Helgi rocked Brenna, Eidra cried out, dropping her knitting from her lap, bending forward as her water soaked the chair and her skirt. She was halfway through her seventh moon, far too early for the baby to come. Ren and Helgi had tried everything they knew to stop her labor while Sally sat beside Eidra on the bed and held her hand. Even the village midwife, Mila, could only do her best to keep her comfortable. In the wee hours of the morning following, she had been delivered of a tiny baby boy whom she'd straight away named Silas. She had held him while he struggled valiantly for each breath but in the end he was not strong enough. He had not lived quite three hours.  
Loki had built the cairn, laying baby Silas to rest beneath the stones in a small wooden boat Chris had hewn out for him. Eidra was inconsolable, her happy demeanor vanished. As the days wore on, she would sit in the rocking chair, quiet, withdrawn, some evenings not uttering so much as one word. Helgi could not draw her out, nor could Sally, even Brenna would tug at her sleeve without result. Eventually she would wind up crawling into Helgi's lap, staring at Eidra as she sat and rocked.  
When the days turned into weeks, then a moon, then two, Loki could no longer bear Eidra's grief. One sunny winter day he insisted she come for a ride with him. Though she protested at first, claiming she only wished to sit by the fire, Loki had begged her to accompany him and she finally relented. They had taken the sleigh, returning to their waterfall where he had knelt before her in the new fallen snow and formally asked for her hand in marriage. Her forlorn demeanor had cracked then and she had sobbed her reply into his shoulder as he held her. That night when the cottage was still, they had made love for the first time since Silas's passing. Nine months later, a few days before Brenna's eighth birthday, another son was born to them. They had named him Fenris.

Loki touched the topmost stone of the cairn then returned to where Blackberry stood, munching on the tall grass of the clearing. The sun had dipped below the horizon when at last he closed the barn door and headed inside the cottage. He found Eidra, Helgi and Brenna setting the evening meal on the long table before the hearth. Fen was playing at the opposite end with the small wooden animals Chris had whittled for him but when he heard the door shut he jumped up and ran to Loki, wrapping his arms about his waist.  
“Papa, Sally brought another animal for me today.”  
Loki put his hand atop Fen's head , ruffling his hair. “Show me.”  
Soon after Loki had settled Eidra safely with Ren, he had returned to Tir Na Nog for Sally and Chris, discovering, with Fin's help that the repository for the other half of her own soul lay in the silver engraved wedding ring she had been buried with. They'd had to exhume her remains by the light of a lantern in an old cemetery in Tralee under cover of night being very nearly caught and arrested in the process. Luck had been with them, however and they had managed to affect a safe getaway supporting a dazed Sally between them. Loki had then begged Chris and Sally to come to Asgard and start a new life. They had accepted Loki's invitation. Sally was dead set upon starting a small farm again though Chris had pondered founding another bakery.  
“Surely there must be a thriving business for a pastry shop in Asgard, my boy. Not here, mind you” Chris had declared, thinking upon their adventures on Midgard, “The world has gone mad since I left it.”  
But fate had a way of being cruel. When Chris and Sally left Tir Na Nog, their bodies began to age again naturally, and of late, Chris had been having a hard time getting about. He would stay in his chair by the fire and whittle animals most days after morning chores. Loki kept the fields and tended to the harder tasks for both households, with the help of the rest of the family.

Loki sat at the end of the table beside Fen who'd climbed into his lap and held up to him what looked like a long-necked horse with brown spots.  
“Chris said it is called a giraffe.”  
“I shall take his word for it. Have you been helping your mother today.”  
Fen nodded but Loki heard a snort from the other end of the table. He looked up to see Brenna shaking her head.  
“Have you something to say, Bren?”  
“He has set there half the day playing with those animals. I had to ask him three times to fetch more wood for the fire and then you would think we beat him, so pitifully did he moan and groan about it.”  
“Is this true?” Loki leaned forward as he heard whispered mutterings between Eidra and Brenna. Fen's eyes slid to Loki's then to where Brenna stood. “Some of it, papa.”  
“Some of it, hmmm? I expect you to do as you are told the first time, especially when asked by a lady of the house.”  
“Yes, papa.”  
“Now go gather your toys and put them in their box, it is time to eat.”  
His face forlorn, Fen jumped down from Loki's lap, returning to the pile of animals. Hearing raised voices at the other end of the table, Loki stood up.  
As soon as she saw him stand, Brenna crossed her arms, dropping into her chair at the table, a cross look on her face and he sighed. When Brenna had first moved to Rialo with Helgi nearly seven seasons past, she had immediately taken to Eidra, following her around, helping her, ever eager to please, but she had shied away from Loki, hiding behind the skirts of whoever was available when he would approach her.  
He had tried everything in his power to garner Brenna's acceptance. He would bring her to the field to work with him though most of the time she would help in sullen silence. He would pay careful attention when she favored him enough to talk to him. He had even shown her some spells, helping her to practice them until she could do one or two on her own but instead of the affection between a father and daughter he felt more like an instructor teaching a student.  
He well remembered the day when Brenna turned ten seasons. Helgi felt Brenna was ready to know that Eidra and Loki were her parents. Eidra had spoken to Brenna many times of what had happened on Tir Na Nog and she had embraced Eidra wholeheartedly as her mother, but she had raged at Loki, demanding to know where he had been while she lived in the palace with Helgi. He had confessed that he had been imprisoned in the cells below her very feet.  
When he had said, furthermore, that she had known him when she was a baby, she had refused to believe him though she later revealed to Eidra that she recalled but faintly a man who had given her a small leather ball that she still possessed. However she had denied even a hint of the merest possibility that they were one and the same.  
Now at nearly fifteen seasons, she had become further withdrawn if it was possible. Loki suspected it had something to do with the fact that Eidra was now showing with her fourth pregnancy.  
Loki walked up to Eidra, kissed her forehead and spread his hands across her belly, purring into her ear.  
“You look lovely today.”  
Her troubled countenance smoothed as she looked up at him and smiled, reaching a hand to his temple to stroke the few silver strands there. They had started to show in the last couple of seasons with the whisper of crows feet at the corners of his eyes. Eidra thought it served only to make him more handsome though he would laugh away her compliments. She stretched upward, kissed him, whispering something in his ear that made him smile and close his eyes, subsequently causing Brenna to roll hers.  
As they sat down to the meal, Fen began his normal chatter, ignoring his sister's disgusted glare.  
“Papa, did the man come to the fields today?”  
Loki glanced at Eidra and nodded, “He did, why?”  
He sensed Brenna was about to kick Fen under the table and he stretched his legs out between them in anticipation.  
“The other day when me and Bren took Blackberry out to the field, the man helped us.”  
The kick caught Loki square in the calf. He turned his head to stare at Brenna. Her face flushed crimson, eyes flitting to his in apology. He was certain that what was about to come to light was going to reflect on her as she had been entrusted with Fen's care on the day in question.  
“Continue your tale, Fen,” Loki waved his hand at the boy who was bouncing about in his chair.  
“Well we were on our way home down the path when we stopped at the clearing but we forgot to tie Blackberry off on a tree and Brenna got mad at me and yelled and the horse got scared and ran and we ran after her and tried to catch her. The man must have been in the forest because he came running from the treeline waving his cape and yelling at Blackberry to stop her. Then he took the reins and gave them to Bren and asked us our names.”  
Loki had been listening to Fen, all the while watching Brenna whom he could see was trying with every fiber in her being, not to look up until she had no choice.  
“And did you tell him your names?” He answered Fen, keeping his eyes on Brenna.  
“Yes Papa, but you told us not to talk to strangers so we said we had to go.”  
“And Brenna, have I not told you to tie off the horse countless times? And to have a care for your brother?”  
“Yes, Father.”  
He frowned, glancing down at his bowl. The term “Father”had always troubled him. She would only call him father, not papa, not Da, simply father. There was no affection in the moniker and it reminded him of Odin.  
“So you never told me of your encounter. Do you not think this is something I would have wanted to know?”  
Loki waited for Brenna to elaborate on her adventure further. Having lived in the palace for the first half of her life, she knew full well who Thor was. Fen however, had never met him. Brenna had been warned early on that any discussion involving the royal family or Loki's connection with such had been forbidden in the household. A month after Fen's birth, a black gelding, led by a royal courier had arrived as a birth present for the new baby. Even then, Loki had instructed Brenna to tell no one though such happenings in a small village hardly went unnoticed.  
“What else did he say to you Brenna?”  
“He asked after you,” she mumbled, her head forward so far, her chestnut hair nearly dipping into her stew.  
He could feel Fen's eyes boring into him, “What said you in return?”  
Brenna laced her hands beneath the table, “I said you were well.”  
Loki put down the spoonful of stew he'd been holding above the bowl, “Brenna, I have said time and again that you were not to engage him in conversation, have I not?”  
Brenna's mouth dropped open and Loki was struck by how much she resembled her mother.  
“You would have me be rude to him when he went out of his way to help us with the horse?”  
Loki clenched his hands into fists, felt Eidra's own hand on his thigh, “I would have you say thank you and be done with it. My welfare is of no concern to him.”  
Brenna threw her hands in the air, “Then maybe you should cast one of your spells to remove my manners.”  
Loki sat forward, “I believe that spell has already been cast. Perhaps a spell to improve your obedience is in order.”  
She shoved her chair away from the table and stood up. “Then might I suggest you begin casting?”  
At once she turned from the table and stormed out the front door of the cottage.  
“Brenna!”Loki yelled as he leaped to his feet. He was about to follow her outside when Eidra grabbed his arm,  
“Let her go, Loki.”  
He pivoted around to gape at her, “And let my daughter believe she may answer me in such a manner whenever she pleases?”  
Eidra pulled him closer, murmured into his ear, “Let me talk to her this evening, she is at that rebellious age. We have all experienced such growing pangs.”  
Helgi, watching them, nodded. “It would seem that you have forgotten what it was like to be young, feeling that no one kens you.”  
He looked towards the door, “There are some, it would seem, who believe I never shall.”  
Fen had risen from the table and was slowly creeping towards the door, hoping Mama and Papa wouldn't notice so he could slip away to find Brenna.  
Next to Papa, Brenna was his best friend, though sometimes, she acted like his worst enemy. There were days it seemed he could do nothing right and she would chide him for the least offense. Then there were the times she would sit with him by the hearth and construct a small village with her box of stones for him to parade his wooden menagerie through, make up stories to tell him, carry the firewood he'd been told to haul in to replenish the fire rack. He wanted to find her and tell her to come back home but as his hand touched the door latch, he heard his Papa's voice.  
“Fenris, return to the table this instant.”  
He scrambled back to the table and sat down with an innocent look that brought a sad smile to Loki's face.  
“She will return when she is ready.” Eidra stroked Fen's raven hair.  
Loki heaved a loud sigh and returned to his chair. It saddened Eidra to see him act so defeated so when she sat back down beside him, she slipped her hand over his and gave a gentle squeeze. He returned the gesture as he cast a glance at Helgi. “Was I this much trouble?”  
“And more,” she smiled.

Brenna kept up her quick pace until she reached Chris and Sally's dooryard where she stood panting. When she finally was able to catch her breath, she knocked on the door, hearing Sally call, “The door is unlatched.”  
She opened the door a crack and stuck her head in, “Am I intruding?”  
Sally was sitting with Chris at the small round table before the fire. They looked to have just finished their evening meal.  
“My goodness,” Sally exclaimed rising from the table to peer behind her into the dusky dooryard, “Brenna sweetheart, what are ye doing out at this late hour?” She ushered Brenna inside and shut the cottage door.  
“May I stay here with you tonight?” Brenna mumbled.  
Sally led Brenna to the table and sat her down, rubbing her shoulders.  
“Have you eaten?” Chris asked, reaching over and patting her hand.  
She shook her head.  
“Well we can't have that. Sally, my love, fix a plate will you?”  
Brenna held her hands up. “Please do not trouble yourself.”  
But when the haunch of rabbit and roasted potatoes was set before her, she immediately fell to, missing the looks exchanged over her head. She ate her fill as they made small talk, letting her finish before Chris templed his hands beneath his chin and cleared his throat.  
“So Bren, perhaps you will now tell your old Uncle Chris what troubled you so that you walked all the way here in the pitch dark?”  
“Alone,” Sally added.  
A dark cloud fell over her features as she sat back and crossed her arms, “I hate him.”  
Chris nodded, “Fen?” he ventured.  
Her frown deepened as she mumbled, “Loki.”  
“Brenna!” Sally cried, “Ye will address yer Papa correctly in this house!”  
An angry tear formed in the corner of her eye, “Begging your pardon, Aunty. My father.”  
Sally pulled her chair closer to Brenna's feeling the young girl slump against the back of the chair as she draped her arm across her shoulders,“My little dove, whatever did he do to make ye so cross?”  
“He tells me to do one thing and when I obey, he tells me I was wrong to do so. He charges me with Fen's care when we are together and then when Fen misbehaves, I am blamed for it. I ask him to show me how to hunt, he says that it is not a woman's place to do so. Instead he takes Fen. He gets frustrated with me when he tries to show me spells and I cannot do them correctly. I hate him!”  
Chris raised an eyebrow, “This is no random happenstance, I feel. What initiated this tirade?”  
Brenna sniffed. Before Sally could reach for a linen kerchief, she'd wiped her nose on her sleeve. Sally shook her head as Chris smiled, “Come child, tell me.”  
“Fen and I went to the fields for...father. On our way home, we stopped at Silas's grave for a moment and Fen began to run around. I yelled at him but he just kept laughing and running. It spooked Blackberry and she started to prance about. I thought she was going to run right over Fen and I screamed at him to get out of the way.”  
Chris nodded, “You didn't tie up the horse like you've been told to do?”  
“No, I did not think we would be long, the horse was heading for the woods. I thought we were going to lose her when the King burst from the trees waving his cloak, stopping Blackberry in her tracks. When he had her quieted, he brought her to us.”  
Chris bit his lip. He could well imagine what had ensued at Loki's house upon Brenna's revelation. Loki's household had been one of the few in the whole of the kingdom that had refused to attend the coronation of Thor when Odin stepped down from the throne. Loki had told Chris Thor often came to watch him work the fields though he never dared approach. Now the King had met with his children.  
“And then what happened?” Chris prodded her.  
“He asked us our names and we told him. Then he asked after Lo....father.”  
Sally rubbed her back, “He wasn't rude was he?”  
Brenna shook her head, “He was very polite. He laughed when I curtsied but then he bid us farewell and walked back into the forest.”  
Chris tapped his chin with a finger, “Ah and you told your father about this little encounter.”  
“I would not have had to had it not been for Fen. He had to tell father all about it, the little worm.”  
“But ye shouldn't keep secrets from yer father, especially where it concerns his brother,” Sally patted her arm.  
“If they are brothers, why do they not speak? Father refuses to discuss it with me, or anyone else but Mama.”  
“It's a long story, sweetheart, one I am not at liberty to discuss with you. Your father went through some very painful times with his brother. He would prefer not to relive them. Perhaps, given time, he will talk about them, but don't expect miracles,” Chris took her hand and kissed it, “Now why don't you let us take you home? It isn't safe to be out at such an hour all alone. Your parents must be worried sick.”  
Chris started to rise from the table but Sally pushed him down, “I will bring her home, ye stay here. I can handle meself.”  
Chris began to protest but Sally would have none of it. “Ye don't need to be out. The night air troubles yer bones fierce.”  
“Jesu' woman, if you'll not listen to reason, take my musket with you and don't tarry along the way.” Chris lifted the musket from its hooks on the wall over the front door. Sally waved him off but took the musket from his hands just the same. Brenna gave Chris a hug and followed Sally out the door to the stables.

As Sally and Brenna were heading up the road out of town, they saw a lantern coming toward them, swaying in the darkness. A moment later, they could make out Eidra astride Blackberry, a lantern in hand, her green cloak over her shoulders. She reined in beside them.  
“Sally, oh dear. We knew she would go to your house. I was coming to fetch her. I am so sorry.”  
“Think nothing of it, Eidra. 'Twas no trouble. We gave her what for. She'll not be coming out alone at night anymore, right Poppet?” Sally looked at Brenna.  
“Well thank you for returning her. Will you come to the cottage for tea?”  
“No, Chris will ride out in a panic should I be longer than he thinks I should. He'll have had me eaten by wolves or robbed blind by the time I return home. I will come for a visit on the morrow.”  
Brenna had dismounted from Sally's horse and was now mounting Blackberry behind Eidra.  
Sally leaned over and squeezed Eidra's hand, “Ye've yer work cut out for ye.”  
Eidra smiled as she watched Sally ride off into the darkness. All the way home they rode in silence until they reached the dooryard and Eidra handed her the reigns.  
“Put Blackberry in her stall and come inside. I want to talk to you.”  
“Where is Father?” Brenna peered through the cottage window.  
“I sent him and your brother both to bed, morning come quite early.”  
When Brenna walked inside she sat in the rocking chair before the hearth which had already been banked for the evening. Eidra set the lantern on the mantle and eased herself into the chair opposite Brenna, feeling the baby kick as she landed heavily in the seat.  
“Your father was so upset tonight,” Eidra picked up the piece of knitting she'd been working on, “He feels you do not listen to him. That you do not ken why he chastises you when you fail to take a care when you are out with Fen. You are old enough now to take responsibility for your actions.”  
She started to speak but Eidra held up a finger, “As is Fen. Father spoke to him tonight as well. If you had not walked out, you would have seen him do so.”  
“But, Mama, he blames me for everything Fen does.”  
“He does not blame you, rather he expects you to act responsibly. I told him he should not have chided you for being polite. After all, the King was simply coming to your rescue.”  
“That is what I said!” she cried.  
“Hush, you shall wake the house.” Eidra frowned, glancing to the bedchamber door, “Now on the morrow, I would ask that you please apologize to your father.”  
“Only if he will apologize to me,” she crossed her arms and sunk into the chair.  
“Brenna, your father loves you and he worries about you. Would you have him ignore everything you do?”  
“He already does. I am a girl. He does not bother with me except when I have done something wrong, or to do something which he then tells me I did wrong. He dotes on Fen.”  
Eidra rocked gently, the baby was starting to kick more, nighttime seemed always to be play time. She fervently hoped it would not be so when the baby was born.  
“Men do not always know what to do with daughters. I will talk to him but do not judge him too harshly. He tries, truly he does. If you only knew how much he loved you.”  
Brenna snorted derisively, “He is always serious, cross. How can you call that love?”  
Eidra put her hands to her temples and rubbed them, “I have not the answers, Brenna. It is time for bed. I promise you we shall talk more on the morrow.”  
Eidra pushed herself up from the chair, Brenna standing up in anticipation to aid her but she waved a hand and was finally on her feet. She kissed Brenna on the forehead as she held her face with her hands, “My beautiful child, every day I wish things had not happened as they did, perhaps you would feel differently towards him.”  
Brenna grumbled as she held Eidra's hands to her cheeks, “I do not see how.”  
Eidra sighed then, “Wishes, however, are all we have. In any case we shall never know. Off to bed with you.”

Eidra slid beneath the coverlet beside Loki, curling up behind him, draping her arm around his stomach, splaying her hand outward. She felt his arm move to hers and gently push her hand down until she giggled, shoved at his back. Still she encircled him though he was soft, and gave him a few slow strokes, thrilling to the way his manhood pulsed beneath her fingers, beginning to harden.  
“Go to sleep, you dog,” she whispered, heard him chuckle and close his hand over hers to help her rhythm, whimpering when she withdrew her hand.  
“It is too much of a stretch now, the baby comes between us.”  
He rolled to his back and smiled though his eyes were still closed. “I am happy to accommodate you.”  
She laughed and shook her head, replacing her hand, “Oh you are most kind, Milord.”  
He nodded, “To a fault....Eidra you have the softest touch.” He bucked his hips up into her strokes.  
“Until my arm tires,” she paused, “Brenna is home.”  
“I know, I heard you talking to her.”  
“She thinks you ignore her because she is a girl.”  
He opened his eyes and she looked up at him in the dim light of the lantern on the stand by the bed.  
“I do not ignore her, rather I am continually perplexed by her actions. She asks me to teach her to hunt. I expect her to learn woman's work. She is forever sullen. I do not know what to do.”  
She squeezed him tight, lifting his hips from the bed again, “Gods, my little minx. I am yours to command.”  
“Good then hear my decree. Take Brenna out and show her how to shoot the crossbow.”  
She felt his head come up from the pillow though she was watching her good work at his waist.  
“Surely you cannot be serious.”  
“You taught me, I think it is only fair,” she dipped her head down until she was inches from him, flicking her tongue across the tip of his manhood,. He put his hand to the back of her head, pressing gently until she slid further down the bed, taking him in her mouth, his groan serving to excite her. Before she could abandon herself to pleasure, though, she had a job to do. She sat up and looked at him, “You will try then? To teach her?”  
“For you, yes,” he stroked her hair.  
“No, Loki. For her, and for you.”  
He nodded, his head dropping back to the pillow as she hovered above him, “You are a good father, never doubt it, and now I shall be a good wife.”  
She smiled, feeling him twitch beneath her hand as he purred, “Oh yes you shall.”


	2. 2

Her screams still echoed in her ears. Her hands were open, flattened against something cold and smooth. She would have called it a door had it looked like any door she'd ever seen. The room she was in was dark, save for the light coming from behind her, reflecting off the surface of the wall. She heard a sound and spun around, back pressed to the door. The light, she found, was streaming down from a vent in the ceiling making slits of white on the floor. What it illuminated, however, made her heart start to pound, her stomach clench.   
It was the body of a man.   
He lay on his side, facing away from her, arms twisted behind his back, tied with some sort of striped cording. He had on a strange looking pair of blue pants and a light blue shirt but his feet were bare. As she inched closer, she could see black ink pooling onto the floor beneath him until her angle changed and the light turned the ink red. It was blood. She could hear a faint whistling noise, crept closer still until she could make out two vertical slits in the man's shirt at his side. The blood oozing from them soaked his shirt from front to back.   
She knelt down on the cold floor, put a trembling hand out to touch his shoulder and was suddenly able to see the profile of his face.   
“Father,” she whispered in a shrill voice, then louder, “Father!”   
He struggling to breathe, blood dripping from one corner of his mouth to the shiny floor, sweat glistening on his forehead.   
“Papa,” she cried as his eyes slid to hers. Her hands were numbingly cold but she had to try, forcing herself to concentrate through the tears starting down her cheeks. She spread her hands open, palms down over the wounds, feeling their depth, the damage they had done, seeing the blade in her mind, plunging into his side with no resistance. .   
It was then that her knee nudged something at his side. She looked down to see a dagger, the one she had seen most every day strapped at his thigh. The blade was stained crimson, the blade glinting in the sterile light shining from overhead. He drew a hitching breath and she realized the whistling sound had been coming from the punctures in his lung which she could see in her minds eye filling with blood. His words, forced through the pain, “Was not...your fault,” broke her concentration momentarily. Had she done this?   
“Hush, Papa, let me heal you.”  
She was frantic now, her head buzzing from the effort, aching. She had felt death once before when she had tried to heal a hawk she had accidentally struck with a rock one afternoon when she was chasing a rabbit through the forest. It had been as if the power within her hands had been repelled, overwhelmed by darkness, unable to repair the damage.  
“So sorry.....” He whispered and she felt it then, his life was ebbing away beneath her fingers. Felt him struggle to draw another breath, chest heaving, his throat working, his eyes fixed staring into oblivion.   
His lips moved but soundless, “Bren.” as he finally shuddered, laying still.   
“Papa!” She screamed, “Do not leave me, PAPA!”

 

Her eyes snapped open at the touch of a hand on her forehead, the black around her broken by the light of a single candle. She lay there panting as Eidra smoothed her hair from her face, she could see her father standing in the doorway of her room, hands holding the doorframe.   
“Poppet,” Eidra whispered, “We heard you crying out. Are you well?”   
She could still see the scene before her eyes and she glanced at her father just to be sure he was really there. “I had a bad dream.”  
“What was it about, Bren?”  
Her father had walked up to put a hand on Eidra's shoulder. She couldn't tell them what she'd seen much less what she'd tried to do. Only Fen yet knew of her healing power and she had charged him with that secret upon pain of big sister.  
“I do not remember.”  
Eidra nodded, stroked her cheek, “Well it was just that, only a dream, you are safe.”   
Brenna took Eidra's hand, held it to her lips, “I know mama, I love you.”  
Eidra smiled, and Brenna felt the tight feeling in her chest dissipate.  
“I love you too, poppet, forgive me if I cannot bend over for a kiss,” she patted her belly. Brenna giggled, sat up and gave her mother a kiss.  
“There is a good girl. Now go back to sleep. We are but a room away if you need us.”  
She looked up at her father, quickly turning her gaze away, the scene from her dream still haunting her. She heard him sigh, “Good night, Bren.”  
“Good night, father, ” she pulled the covers up to her chin and turned to her side.  
Long after the door had shut behind her parents, she lay staring into the darkness, replaying the dream in her mind, trying to recall other details, the smells, the sounds. She'd heard rapid footsteps outside the door, people shouting. But it had been just a dream. When she heard her father arise to milk the cows early that next morning, she realized she'd never gone back to sleep. She threw the covers back and got out of bed. There was no use, she was up for the day.

Loki walked behind Blackberry, lost in thought. He had opted to turn the fields alone today. The spring sun felt warm on his back, the new green of growth was spreading over the land but he saw none of it. He was hurting, if the truth be told, and by something so simple as the omission of one word.   
When Brenna had been dreaming last night, she had been calling for him. However, when she awoke, he could see the same fear and distrust in her eyes that he'd lived with for the past seven seasons. She had told Eidra she loved her yet had said nothing to him. It was nothing new, however, and old resentment simmered within him. Why should he care who loved him or not? But such a thought was swiftly replaced with anguish. She was his first born, created in love. How could she have so little of it in her own heart?”  
So lost was he in thought that he didn't hear Fen's shouts until he was beside him.   
“Papa, Papa!” Fen stopped, bent over, holding his sides and panting, his message coming out between breaths, “Mama is...at Sally's with...Brenna...Helgi and I....are at home....and the stranger is there....he wants to see you.”   
Loki had already started to unhitch the horse from the plow when Fen tapped him on the back.  
“Papa?”   
Loki whisked him off the ground, setting him atop Blackberry's back. Loki hopped up behind him and made the horse to start off at a gallop back down the path towards the cottage.

Eidra kept her horse at a walk but Brenna let hers trot up and down the path before them, impatient to be kept going so slowly.   
“Mother, Lightning wishes to run,” she patted the neck of the white spotted stallion.  
“Then run ahead. I must take my time because of the baby. Be careful.”  
Brenna smiled, kicked at Lightning's sides and was off down the road. As she reached the edge of town, she saw Silvan and Moran standing outside their cottage. She waved to them as she passed but they seemed distracted, looking down the road in the direction she was heading.   
When she neared her cottage, she realized why. Three horses, the royal standard emblazoned on their saddle blankets, stood tied off in the dooryard, She dismounted, and tied off Lightning beside them. One of the horses, a beautiful roan, turned his head, regarding her as if to say “how dare you stand so close to me, commoner!”.   
She opened the cottage door slowly.   
There at the table where Helgi was sewing by the light from the window stood the King with two of his soldiers. He was talking to Helgi when he heard Brenna enter and turned to her. She curtsied immediately, could see Helgi's face, nervous, wary as Thor, wearing a lopsided grin, bowed in return. “Brenna is it?”   
Brenna nodded, “Yes sire.”  
“Ah. Tell me, have you kept a tighter rein on your horse?”  
“I have sire, thank you.”

 

Eidra, spying the horses from a distance, urged Blackberry into a trot until she reached the dooryard. She let herself down as quickly as she could and rushed inside the cottage, nearly knocking Brenna over where she stood just inside the door. Thor fixed Eidra with a stare as he bowed, “Milady.”  
She nodded jerkily, made a perfunctory curtsey, “Your Majesty.”  
She had to show respect to the King for Brenna. She motioned to Helgi who looked still to be in shock.   
“Helgi would you fetch a pint of ale for his Majesty? He has ridden a long way to favor us with a visit.”   
Helgi was up in a flash as Eidra put her hand on Brenna's shoulder. “May I ask your Majesty what brings him here to our simple cottage?”  
His countenance was at once serious, “I must speak with my brother. It is a matter of some urgency.”  
She could hear hoof beats, distant, rapid. “I see,”  
Helgi bowed, handed Thor the stein, then turned to Eidra, “I sent Fen to fetch Loki, Milady.”  
She nodded as Thor took a draught of the ale.  
“Exceeding fine spirits you have. Is this of your own brewing?”   
Eidra nodded, “Yes, your Majesty.”   
The hoof beats came to an abrupt halt and she stepped from the door to give Loki room for the entrance he was about to make.

Loki held up his arms and Fen jumped into them, slipping to the ground as Loki bent over and took him by the shoulder, “Now stay behind me, do you ken?”  
“Yes, Papa.”  
As they reached the door to the cottage, he paused, heard the booming voice and opened the door wide.   
Thor smiled, flinging his arms wide and all at once Loki was enfolded into a great bear hug, “Brother! It is truly wonderful to see you!”  
He let Loki go then, holding him at arms length. Loki could see Fen out of the corner of his eye. He was absolutely gobsmacked, mouth hanging open, arms limp at his side.   
“What does your Majesty wish with a peasant farmer?” Loki muttered as calmly as he was able.  
“Loki!” Thor cried, “Do not stand on formality here. We are equals.”  
“We are nothing of the sort. You are the King. I am a citizen of your kingdom.”  
His teeth rattled as Thor shook him, “You are still a prince in my eyes, and ever shall be.”  
Loki could see Fen was overwhelmed by now, “I would we could talk someplace privately so that you may state your business.”  
“Indeed, forgive me,” he nodded, “Shall we step outside then?”  
Loki pulled from his grasp and gestured to the open door, “Follow me.”  
He shut the door behind them, “I will not put on a spectacle for the whole village.”  
Thor followed him around the side of the cottage out past the barns to the head of the path leading to his fields where he stopped, arms crossed.  
“Speak your mind.”  
Thor's face fell, “Are you not the least bit happy to see me?”  
“I admit to a morbid curiosity concerning the reason for your visit, nothing more.”  
Thor put his hands out, “Surely you cannot mean it.”  
Loki advanced on him until they were nearly nose to nose, “Has time erased your memory. Have you truly forgotten how you took the best thing that ever happened to me and utterly destroyed it? How, for five seasons, I became a man possessed because of your selfish actions!” He was shouting now, Hel and be damned who heard him.   
“I am sorry brother, I..”  
Loki held up a hand. “You cannot wipe away all those seasons of hatred and pain with one word.” He read the grief, the remorse on Thor's face and clenched his hands to fists, resisting with all he had in him anything akin to care or concern, “You had everything! You were the Crown Prince,. Father's favorite, your colleagues respected you. What did you see in my relationship with Eidra which compelled you to rob her of her life?”  
“Love!” Thor roared as he grabbed Loki by the shoulders, “It has always been a thing just outside my reach. I was ever expected to be the strong one, the heir. Mother was chastised for showing me the least bit of comfort. Father wanted a strong man on the throne, he said such coddling would weaken me.”  
He let Loki go and sank to the ground, his back to the trunk of a large tree, “But you. Mother doted on you because she could. Many were the nights I would stand in the corridor peeking into your bedchamber and see mother sitting on your bed, teaching you spells, talking, reading, laughing with you. I yearned to join you but did not dare for fear of father finding me there.”  
Loki slumped down to share the tree trunk, resting his elbows on his knees, suddenly weary, his rage dampened with old memories.   
“You have Sif. The fairest woman in all of Asgard so they say, though I would challenge that claim with Eidra.”  
Thor shook his head, “Though she be beautiful, she is cold, brother. Our marriage is one of convenience though she is of strong stock, able to produce healthy children, heirs.”  
“I heard of the birth of your son, My congratulations to you.”  
Thor waved at him, “But she is vain, aloof, her heart is hard as marble.”  
Loki glanced sidelong at him, “So it was a perfect match then?”  
“No, she is far worse. She sleeps apart from me in her own bedchamber. When we couple, she lies there, silent, as if our lovemaking is something to be borne out. She has not spoken in love to me since before our union, yet she entreats me not to seek love elsewhere. If she finds me too familiar, too attentive to another woman, she is quick to put an end to it, drawing me back to her until she feels safe in her position.”  
Loki closed his eyes, “So in recompense you sought to deprive me of what you did not have?”  
“Yes,” Thor's voice cracked, “When I saw the tenderness, the desire, the love between the two of you, I was jealous, but more than that, I saw my brother's attention being drawn away from me and when his love was all I had ever been able to count upon, I could not accept it.”  
Loki looked over at Thor whose cheeks were wet with tears, “I do not expect your forgiveness, nay I do not think I could believe you if you gave it to me. I only want you to listen, to let me say I am sorry and know that I mean it.”  
They sat there in silence for a bit longer then Loki stood up, “You cannot tell me you came here only to talk of the past. What urgent matter brought you to my house?”  
Thor stared at the ground, “It is father. He is ill, failing. He gets weaker every day. He no longer rises from the bed save to relieve himself. He even entertains visitors in his chambers when he has need to. He has been talking about you as of late. He wishes to see you and your family, as does mother.”  
Loki was taken aback, “She still speaks of me?”  
Thor rose to stand before him, “More often than you know.”  
“What are you asking of me?” Loki folded his hands before him.  
“Come to the palace!” Thor cried, “Bring your family and stay to visit. Make what may be Father's last days happy ones.”  
Loki was shaking his head already, “No, I cannot put my whole family in danger. I cannot.”  
Thor laughed at this, “Danger, what would make you believe there is cause for such concern?”  
Loki pushed past him, starting back towards the house. “Because I cannot trust you.”  
Thor grabbed him by the arm, stopping him in his tracks, “You have my word. I speak the truth. No harm will come to you in the palace, nor in the whole of Asgard. Come see Father before it is too late.”  
Loki stood there, at war with himself. He had not seen Frigga since the day he left on his pilgrimage. Likely it was she who truly wished to see him. If Odin had indeed expressed a desire for him to visit, it would doubtless be to reassure the old man he was not wreaking havoc with the nine realms but he shuddered at the thought of bringing his family inside the palace where there was the very real potential that they would never be allowed to leave again.  
“Give me two days to discuss this with my family. Return on the morrow of the third day and you will then know if we will accompany you back to Asgard.”  
Thor broke into a wide grin. “I will be here at dawn, brother. “  
“Then you will have to watch me milk the cows.”  
Thor clapped him on the back, “That I shall.”

The family was outside when they returned to the cottage. One of the royal guards had let Fen try on his helmet and Fen was parading around the dooryard proudly. Loki lifted the helmet from Fen's head, handing it to the guard who bowed and took it from him. Then he stood with his hand on Fen's shoulder as Thor and the guards mounted their horses. With a bow and a nod, they headed off down the road towards Asgard.  
As soon as they were out of sight, Fen was clamoring at him with a hundred questions.   
“Papa, that was the King, what did he want to talk about? What did he say? He called you brother, is he your brother? Does it make you a prince?”  
Loki steered Fen to Eidra's open arms, “I must have time to think.”  
“About what?” Eidra stared at him, “Tell me what he wanted .”  
Loki shook his head, “We will talk later. Right now I must ride.”  
He was off to unhitch the horse before she could protest.   
“Now what in the world was that all about?” Helgi muttered.   
Eidra shrugged, “He will tell me when he is ready.”


	3. 3

“Well lad, you've quite a dilemma.”   
Chris pushed himself up further on his bed, grimacing as he did so. “Damnable legs, it's the gout. And my back pains me so.”  
Loki readjusted the pillows for Chris who lay back then and smiled,“Thankee, my boy Now then, you say you are reluctant to bring your family to Asgard because you fear things aren't what they seem.”  
Loki sat back down on the edge of the bed, “I do.”  
“On the other hand,” Chris held up his fingers, ticking them down, “You miss the palace, the only other home you ever knew, you would like to visit your mum and you want her to see the grand babies.”  
Loki nodded, “But I do not want to remain at the palace. This is my life now, my home with Eidra and the children. Helgi, you and Sally.”  
Chris stroked his chin, “You did say he invited you to visit. What if everything Thor said was the truth? Did you ever entertain that possibility?”  
When Loki didn't answer, Chris nodded, “I thought as much. If it were me, though it isn't, I would take him up on the invitation. If you do not go and something does indeed happen to your father, God forbid, you shall regret not having gone when you had the chance.”  
“I suspect Odin's reasons for wishing to see me are less of a paternal nature than a reassurance that I am behaving.”  
“Come now, boy,” Chris clapped him on the knee, “Surely you can forgive him his transgressions in the twilight of his life can you not? At the very least he is the only father you ever knew.”  
Loki gazed out the window by Chris's bed, “Were the truth known, you have been more of a father figure to me than e'er Odin was.”  
Chris joined Loki in his study of the cloudless sky, “My boy, pardon me for saying so but if Odin could see you now as you are, he would be proud indeed. If he were not, he'd be a fool of the first order.”  
Loki gave a gentle grin, “Ah then 'tis a fool he would be. You see more goodness in me than I could ever see in myself, my friend.”  
“Then prove the old fellow wrong. He cannot deny the evidence of his own two eyes.”  
Loki looked back to Chris, “And if we were away more than a few days, who would be here to help you and Sally?”  
Chris smiled, “We can handle the place for a few days. Methinks you try to find excuses not to go.”  
He sat forward, leaning on his knees as Chris put his hand on his thigh, “It isn't a sin to be afraid, you know.”  
Loki clapped his hands together but didn't raise his head, “It is fear for the safety of my family. Before I met Eidra, I never knew what it felt like to be willing to die for someone. With children, such willingness increases a thousandfold. I only want them to be safe.”  
“Ah my boy, what does your instinct tell you?”  
“That is just it. My judgment is clouded. You are correct. I wish to see Mother, and I miss the palace.”  
“Then, go, my friend. We will manage here,” Chris gestured about the cottage, “Simply take care and be prepared.”

When Loki arrived home for the evening meal, he was aware of the tension in the house as everyone waited for him to announce what business he'd had with the King but he went about the evening's activity with nary a word. Brenna sat eying him half the night, finally heaving a loud sigh, putting down her knitting and standing up from her chair when Loki began to hone the blade of his dagger as he sat before the fireplace.   
“I am going to bed, I tire of waiting,” She bent over, kissing Eidra and Helgi on the cheek then turned to Loki, “Goodnight, Father.”  
Fen had lined up his animals on the table, parading them back and forth across the smooth wood. Now he kept as quiet as he could but it was no use.   
“Fen, I think it is time you retired as well,” Loki called to him.  
“Papa I am not sleepy.”  
“Regardless of that, you still need your rest. Now pick up your animals and put them away.”  
“But, Papa..”   
Loki craned his head around the back of his chair and stared at Fen, “Now, boy.”  
“Yes, Papa,” Fen groused, setting the animals carefully into the wooden box at his elbow.  
When Fen had finished, doled out his good-nights and was in his room, Loki turned to Eidra and Helgi who sat looking at him. He smiled slyly, considered letting them wait a bit longer but in the end he sat the dagger across his lap.   
“The Allfather is ill. He is failing. Thor claims he has been asking to see me, to see my family. I suspect is it Mother who wishes to see us. Nevertheless we have been invited to the palace.”  
Loki saw the panic in Eidra's face before she voiced it, “All of us? Brenna and the baby?”  
He shook his head, “Fen is no longer the baby, Eidra. The baby lies in your belly.”  
She shot him a look that would have seemed more at home on a wolf mother guarding her den, “He is still my baby, he is the youngest as of now.”  
“As you will. I concede. Just do not call him a baby in public, the poor boy. And, yes, Thor has invited all of us.”  
Helgi kept knitting but nodded, “It would be good to visit with Artra and Volsa again.”  
“I do not trust Thor,” Eidra stared into the low fire, “What if he is trying to trick us? What if he wishes to imprison you again?”  
“Do not think I did not entertain the possibility. Thor could have spirited me away when I spoke with him this afternoon. He need not have asked me to come for a visit. It pains me to say it, but I believe I trust Thor in his request.”  
Eidra began to knit again, her stitches fast, her face set, “When does he wish us to go?”  
“Two days hence. I told him to return on the dawn of the day after the morrow and if we were going, we would be ready then.”  
“It will not be a quick journey,” Eidra looked down at her swollen belly, “I will not ride at a fast pace and jeopardize the baby.”  
“We will take the wagon. I will set you up with a spot as comfortable as our own bed. Helgi will drive the wagon and Fen will ride with you. I will take Blackberry and I am sure Brenna will insist on riding Lightning.”  
Helgi put her knitting in her lap, “Then I suppose tomorrow will be packing day. I had hoped I might get this shawl finished. It is still cool at night.”  
“Walpurgis is upon us as well. There will be bonfires and feasting. Perhaps I might join the hunt since it will be the last of the season.”  
Eidra said nothing as Loki reached over to rub her forearm, “My heart, I will let nothing harm our family,” He reached further to caress the curve of her stomach, sending chills up her spine as she lay her hand atop his.   
“I know, my love but still I must worry. There is nothing for it.”   
“Nothing save my promise we will be safe.” He smiled gently, recalling for her one of the thousand reasons she loved him.  
“My beautiful prince.”  
He shook his head and squeezed her hand. He had once chided her for calling him a prince, telling her that he was no longer titled. She had scolded him in return, saying he was still of royal blood and she had fallen in love with him when he was a prince, therefore in her eyes, he was her prince. She would not give up her pet name for him.  
“I am going to retire. It would seem we have a big day ahead of us on the morrow.” Helgi groaned as she stood from her chair. “Good night, my dears.”  
They nodded, “Good night, Helgi.”  
They sat quiet for a while, watching the fire die down until Loki got up and banked it, then took her hand and led her to their bedchambers. Their lovemaking that night was slow, exquisite. He whispered in her ear his worship of her, giving thanks for her love, her affection, murmuring that he was luckier than any man in the whole kingdom, nay, the whole nine realms that she had chosen him for her mate, his release that night moving him to tears as he hovered above her, sliding to her side to pull her into an embrace they did not break until the room began to brighten with the dawn.

 

Brenna heard Fen and her father get up that morning to do chores and so she rose in kind. The morning had dawned unseasonably warm. She stoked the fire in the common room, adding fresh wood until she had a decent blaze bringing the sweat to her brow as she squatted before it. Next she roused Helgi to help her with the morning meal and as they worked, they chatted about little things, her fifteenth birthday coming in autumn, what they would have for evening meal, but if she expected Helgi to divulge what they had spoken about that evening past after she'd retired for the evening she was sorely disappointed. Helgi avoided the subject altogether. Soon enough, the door swung wide as Fen walked in with a basket of eggs and a feather stuck in his hair, followed by Loki with the milk pail which he deposited upon the table where Brenna sat cutting potatoes. Fen handed the eggs to Helgi and ran to Eidra who had appeared in the bedroom doorway, tying her hair back.   
Brenna was watching Fen trying to wrap his arms around Mama's waist and so the tap on her shoulder startled her. She turned to see Loki gesture to her, “Come with me.”  
“But I am helping Helgi.”  
“Your mother will take over. Come on.”  
Brenna glanced at Eidra who tilted her head towards the door and so Brenna followed her father, starting as he took his crossbow from where it hung by the front door. The last sight she saw before the door closed behind her was Mama smiling at her.

The block of wood with the X carved on it moved not so much as an inch. She let the crossbow swing down to her side and stamped her foot in frustration on the forest floor.  
“Where were your sights?”  
“On the X.” She regarded the crossbow with a scowl.  
“Where they were not supposed to be,” Loki sat on the forest floor, cross-legged, leaning against a tree trunk, “You must remember to take into consideration the recoil. Reload as I showed you and this time aim a bit lower.”  
Her arms ached with the effort required to set the trigger, taking both hands to do it, nearly rocking herself off her feet as her foot slipped out of the stirrup at first, finally managing to load a bolt in the chamber. She hauled the crossbow up, set the stock at her shoulder and aimed the unwieldy weapon below the X, grumbling to herself that it would be easier were the weapon not half her size, took a deep breath in, let it out slowly and pulled the trigger. The bolt sailed once again over the block of wood and she tossed the crossbow to the ground in disgust.   
“I cannot do this!” Tears of frustration glittered in her eyes. She would not look at her father.  
“And that is why I brought the white-tipped bolts. Pick up the crossbow and do not let me see you treat it so poorly again. It has put food in your belly many times over and it deserves your respect.”  
His voice was calm but she could hear the warning in it. As she was bending to pick it up, she heard leaves rustling as her father stood from his seat at the base of the tree. She fully expected him to take the crossbow from her, ending the lesson then and there. However, he scanned the forest floor until he found what he was looking for. He waved her along with him, picking up the block of wood as he passed it.   
A couple yards further he pointed to a fallen log. “Stay here.”   
He walked up to a tree which was split into a V at its roots. He wedged the block into the space and returned to where Brenna stood waiting, took the crossbow from her and lay on the ground, bracing it atop the fallen log. As she watched him sight along the barrel, her mind wandered to a scene the other day. A glimpse of tenderness as her mother took a few strands of the hair at his temple, teasing him, he responding by giving her a playful shove. Looking closer, she could indeed see the threads of silver starting to show in his hair, a few but still there.  
“Father.”  
“Mm hmm.”  
She scuffed the leaves at her feet, “How old are you?”  
He shifted position, sighted again, “Old.”  
“How old?”  
She could almost see his mind working, watched his jaw clench, “Older than you.”  
“What about Mama, how old is she?”  
“She is younger than me.”  
“That is not much of an answer. How many seasons?”  
He pushed himself up to his hands and knees, then stood, brushing the dirt from his breeches.   
“Enough questions? Take the crossbow and assume the same position you saw me in. Brace the barrel on the tree. Aim below the X as before.”   
She stretched out behind the tree, bracing the barrel of the crossbow, trying to position her hands to maximize stability. She didn't feel the unsteadiness she had when she was standing upright though, she felt more in control. She took aim just below the X, took a deep breath, let it out and pulled the trigger. The bolt caught the chunk of wood at the very upper edge, flipping it backwards but not quite unseating it. She grinned, glanced up her father who was standing there nodding. He looked down returning the smile.   
“Much better. This is a big crossbow. I will see about getting you a smaller one made. Let us try it again.”

By midday, she had hit the X four times, not dead center but at least in the wood. At the last shot. Loki gave her his hand and pulled her up from the ground. “Let us start back before your mother thinks we shot ourselves dead.”  
As they walked through the trees toward the path home, Loki surveyed the surrounding forest, the sunlight dappling the ground, the warm breeze rushing through the tree tops.   
“It turned out to be a beautiful day. Tell me, was this worth missing the morning meal for?”  
“Yes Father, thank you.”  
Loki nodded, “You are entirely welcome. You will improve with practice though you must remember, your prey will not accommodate you by running directly into your path and standing as the block of wood. You must learn to track and shoot. Once you have the right size bow, it will be easier.”  
The cottage was now visible through the trees in the distance.  
“We are going on a trip on the morrow.”  
“A trip where?” She mis-stepped and stumbled but regained her footing, “A trip where?”  
“To the palace,” He glanced at her, gauging her reaction.  
She mis-stepped and stumbled but regained her footing, “To the palace? Truly? Why?”  
“Because, your grandparents wish to meet you and your brother.”  
She slowed her steps. When she had lived in the palace with Helgi, Odin and Frigga were the King and Queen. They were to be revered and honored. When she finally learned Loki was her father, she found it hard to imagine that all along, they had been her grandparents though she did not know them. Not that it was their fault, they hadn't known Brenna existed then, still the prospect of addressing the King and Queen as grandfather and grandmother terrified and thrilled her all at once.  
“Is that what the King was here to ask? For us to come to the palace?” She trotted to catch up with him.  
“Yes. I have decided to accept his invitation. Sally and Ren have agreed to take care of our animals for a couple of days.”  
They were almost to the cottage when he turned to her, “Do you think I made the right decision?”  
Brenna stopped again, “I do not know, do you wish to return to the palace?”  
He looked at the cottage, then at her. “The palace holds many bad memories for me, as well as many good ones. We will have to judge by our experiences whether I was right or wrong.” He began to walk again. “Now let us go help pack. As late as it has become, we will likely be accused of shirking our responsibilities.”


	4. 4

Eidra sighed as Loki stirred, draping his arm over her, “Why must morn come so early?”  
“Because night comes so late,” he grunted, “I must have the chores finished before we leave. I told Sally that she would not have need to come over until evening.” He threw the covers back, swung his feet out and over the floor, grabbed his breeches from the chair beside the bed and drew them on. She rolled over to watch him, “Are you nervous?”  
He pulled his boots from beneath the bed. “Are you?”  
“Yes.”  
“I will keep us safe.” He leaned over, his tunic in hand, and kissed her cheek, “I will tend to the milking and then I will start loading the wagon.”  
As he walked out of the bedroom, she pushed herself upright and groaned, “I suppose I must follow suit.”

When Loki returned to the cottage with the milk pail, the house was a flurry of activity. Fen, in particular, was out of control. More than once, the women had yelled at him to leave them be so Loki caught him, hauled him up over his shoulder while he laughed and kicked, and took him outside to help prepare the wagon.  
He hefted the bales of hay up onto the wagon bed directing Fen where to position them.  
“You are a bit overexcited, boy,” Loki hauled another bale up, watching as Fen scrambled to pull it backwards.  
“I am excited, Papa, I am! I have never seen the palace up close. I have never been to the city. I cannot help it!” He grabbed the next bale and shoved it into place. “Is it true the King is my uncle?”  
Loki nodded, “For want of a better term, yes, he is.”  
“So if you are his brother, you are a prince too.”  
Loki stopped. Should he try to explain abdication to a seven seasons old little boy? Fen stood there waiting for the next bale and his words.  
“I renounced my title but I suppose I am still of royal blood.” He could never tell him the royal blood that ran through his veins also ran through the veins of Asgard's hated enemies. He had been terrified when Brenna and Fen had been born. He feared above all else that they would be born Jotun.  
“So then that would make me a prince too,” He pulled the last bale into place and waited for the blankets Loki was handing up to him.   
“Spread them over the bales, double them up so that the hay does not poke through.”  
Fen did as he was told but would not let his question rest, “So am I a prince, Papa?”  
“For all intents and purposes, yes, but...”  
“So that means Brenna is a princess?”  
“Fen, enough talk of such matters. Pay attention to your work.” He handed Fen another blanket.  
“Does Brenna know she is a princess? Can I tell her?”  
“Fen.”  
Fen heard the warning tone in his father's voice. “Sorry, Papa.”  
Loki shook his head, “Do not be sorry for the questions, be sorry that you ask the same ones repeatedly. Now hurry or we shall miss the morning meal.”   
Fen jumped into Loki's arms, he set him down on the ground and Fen was off on a dead run into the house.  
“Where does that boy find the energy?” He muttered as he followed along behind him.

The women had already eaten and were now packing a small trunk. Fen and Loki sat at the table with their bowls of porridge. Loki took a handful of dried raspberries and sprinkled them over the surface. Fen held his bowl out to Loki and he obliged him with another handful. Helgi sat down before the fireplace to slip on her shoes but was soon interrupted.   
“Helgi, will you braid my hair for me?” Brenna made to sit on the floor before her but Helgi shouted, “Wait! You have a clean dress on, drag that stool over here.”   
Brenna had donned her best dress, a long sleeved dark blue affair with a white velvet bodice that she thought suited her newly sprung cleavage nicely. She lifted her skirt daintily, sat on the stool before Helgi and she began to separate Brenna's long dark hair into plaits.  
Loki watched them while he ate. Brenna was growing to be as beautiful as her mother. Eidra had noticed too and on that note, she had brought up the subject of ritual deflowering one evening as they lay in bed. Loki had been adamant in his refusal, insisting that the man Brenna found to marry would be the one to make her a woman. He would not allow a stranger to touch his daughter for the express purpose of taking her virginity. There had been some heated words at the time and he had asked Eidra how frightened she had been of him. She had retorted that if he hadn't been such a brute she wouldn't have been so afraid. The discussion had ended with him cradling her in his arms, drying her tears, but he remained steadfast. There would be no ritual deflowering, she could have the Uruz when she came of age but the rest was out of the question.  
Eidra sailed out of the bedroom in a velvet green dress with a darker green bodice, her hair pulled back from her face and off her neck. She stopped at the table to give Loki a kiss, waking his desire. He felt himself throb at the touch of her hand on his neck. “You are a vision, my love.”  
He finished his morning meal, handed the bowl to Eidra and ducked into the bedchamber to change fervently wishing he had something more to wear than the breeches and tunic hanging in the wardrobe. He would rather be presented to mother and the Allfather in court dress. Perhaps he could ask Thor for the loan of some proper attire when they arrived at Asgard.  
As he was tying his breeches, he heard Fen shout, “The King is here!”  
Fen raced to the front door and flung it open, “ Come in, Your Majesty!”  
Loki sighed as he left the bedchamber. At least Fen had remembered his manners.  
Thor strode into the cottage, bowed to the women, then turned to Loki as a smile stole to his lips.   
“It looks as if you are preparing for a trip. Am I correct to assume that we will be sharing the same path?”  
Loki raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to steal to his face and at once Thor was upon him, picking him up in a great bear hug.   
“I knew you would come! We will have a feast tomorrow night, light the bonfires.”  
Thor regarded him at arms length, “You look like peasant. We will get you properly attired when you reach the palace,” His gaze swung the rest of them. “You want to look your best when you meet your grandparents.”   
“This is my best.” Eidra muttered as she adjusted her dress.  
Brenna stepped forward and curtsied to Thor. “Would your majesty care to share our morning meal?”   
Thor shook his head, “Nay, Milady, we have already eaten this morning though I thank you for the offer,” He bowed, “How soon may we be off?”  
Loki took his cloak off the peg by the door, “Not long, I have to saddle Blackberry.”  
“Blackberry?” He could hear the mirth in Thor's question and Brenna's subsequent giggle.  
“Yes Blackberry, blame Brenna,” He motioned to Thor, “Leave the women to finish. Come with me.”  
Brenna watched her father walk out the front door followed by Thor who, if she had to put a label to it, looked to be fairly bursting with joy as he clapped her father on the back and closed the door behind them.

Every few minutes, Loki would ride alongside the wagon to check on Eidra. “Are you comfortable, darling?”  
She would wave him away, “Loki, I am fine. Do not fret so.”  
He pointed his riding crop at her upon one occasion, “I shall fret if I like. You would have a better chance asking the wind to stop blowing or the rain to fall upwards.” He tapped her lightly on the head with the crop and she laughed, “Very well. But I am fine. Pester your brother.”  
Loki had given her a petulant look as he trotted ahead to fall in step with Thor.  
Fen had been fidgeting, having grown bored with his wooden animals, games of count the cows and “What am I” as they rode through the towns, passed the houses and farms along the road. He stood up, leaning over the drivers bench between Helgi and Brenna to watch the road ahead. Finally he poked Brenna, making her drop the reins temporarily. She scooped them back up, swatting at him, “Stop it, you little worm!”  
He hopped further up so his legs were dangling at the back of the seat over the wagon bed until Eidra called to him, “Fen, plant your feet on the wagon.”   
He slid back down but stayed where he was and after another moment, tugged at Brenna's sleeve. “Papa told me I am a prince so I do not have to listen to you.”   
Brenna saw Helgi's head swivel about but she said nothing, simply eyed Fen who took no notice of her.   
“I am sure you misunderstood Father. What he likely said was that you were a royal brat.”  
He poked her again ducking another swing, “I asked him if he was a prince and he said yes then I asked if it meant I was a prince and you were a princess and he said yes.”  
“Fen!” Helgi cried, “That is quite enough of your storytelling.” She craned her neck around and looked at Eidra who was reaching to pull Fen from between them.   
“But Papa said it was true, I swear!” he held tight to the bench as Eidra wrapped her arm around his waist to pull him back onto the bale of hay where she was sitting.  
“What did I say that was true, may I ask?”  
Loki had ridden back to the wagon again and was now keeping pace with them. Eidra glared at him, “Fen was telling Brenna about your conversation this morning.”  
Loki tried to feign ignorance but he knew he would likely be in trouble, “About the trip to the city?”  
Eidra's expression didn't change, nor did the glare and he ran a hand through his hair, “The boy asks so many questions. 'Tis hard to recall which one you mean.”  
“The father should give the correct answers to each question,” Eidra grumbled.   
At once he felt on the defensive, “The father did.”  
“To someone too young to ken the meaning.”   
Loki returned her stare, clucked to Blackberry and soon was back beside Thor.  
Fen crawled into her lap, or what was left after the baby's share, and started to play with a strand of her hair. She knew this was his way of saying he was ready for a nap and she began to rock him.   
“Oh you little calf, you are getting too big for this.” In answer he cuddled ever closer and she put him up over her shoulder, grimacing at the ache in her back.   
“Mama?”  
“Yes?”  
“Did Papa tell the truth? Am I a prince?” He whispered in her ear.  
She nodded as she cast a glance to Helgi and Brenna who had their backs to her.  
“Yes, Fen. He was telling the truth but what is a title without a kingdom. It is just a word then. Close your eyes and rest and before you know it, we will be there.”  
Brenna listened to her mother as she soothed Fen. She looked before the wagon at her father and Thor, their heads bent together in conversation. It made sense really. If her father was a prince, whether he lived in the castle or in the village of Rialo, he was still the same person...and as the daughter of a prince, she was a princess. She sat up straighter in the seat as her mother watched from the wagon bed, concern written clearly on her face.

Helgi had nodded off leaning against Brenna but was startled awake when Brenna shook her and pointed in the distance at the spires rising above the horizon.   
“Look Helgi, the city of Asgard.” She craned around to look behind her but Eidra had laid down on the blankets with Fen to rest.  
“Mama, look,” Brenna cried, “We can see the city!”  
Eidra rose to her knees, hauling herself up with the driver's bench just in time to see Loki galloping back towards them with a smile.   
“Not far now, we should make the palace by midday.”  
She sat down on the bales again watching the city grow closer with a mixture of fear and joy; like Loki the most wonderful and terrible moments of her life had happened behind those same walls. She felt his hand caress the back of her head and she turned as he leaned over from the horse and gave her a kiss.   
“Has Fen seen the city yet?”  
“No, he fell asleep some distance back. Do you wish me to wake him?”  
Loki shrugged but she knew by his demeanor he wanted to share the vista with his son. She nudged Fen who jumped at the touch of her toe.   
“Fen, come, wake up. Papa wishes to show you something.”   
Fen slowly stretched, then rose to his hands and knees as Loki held out his hands, “Come get on the horse with me.”  
Fen climbed onto one the hay bales as Eidra gasped, wrapping her arm around Fen's legs, “Loki be careful!”  
He swung Fen over from the wagon to the horse to sit in front of him, “We will be back.”  
As they started towards the front of the group, Loki tapped him on the shoulder and pointed ahead of them. “Do you see what I see?”  
Fen peered with eyes not yet quite adjusted from his nap but then they opened wide. “Is that the palace?”  
“Yes, the largest spires in the sky, they are the palace.”  
“How long until we get there?”  
They were even with Thor now, “Very soon. Are you excited?”  
Fen turned to Thor, “Yes, your Majesty.”  
Thor nodded, “As well you should be. Rialo is nothing akin to Asgard proper. It is magnificent.”  
Loki tried to take Thor's rebuff of their home into context as merely fact, still he bristled at the slight. Asgard was much bigger, far grander than their little village. He wrapped his arm around Fen's shoulders and hugged him, “And you shall see, my son. Soon.”

When the gates leading into the main courtyard began to swing open, Fen, who had been returned to the wagon, was practically standing on the bench between Helgi and Brenna while they put their arms up to prevent him from falling forward between the horses.   
“Look at it, Mama! The gates are huge!”  
“Yes Fen, please sit down on the bench, you are giving me fits.”  
As they halted in front of the palace doors, Fen jumped down from the back of the wagon before Eidra could catch him, running to where Loki had just dismounted from Blackberry and was handing her to a waiting servant. Fen slammed into his legs, nearly knocking him off his feet.   
“Papa everything is so big!”   
Loki smiled and squatted down before him. “Wait until you see the inside.”  
Loki made the back of the wagon as Eidra was starting to step down. He offered his hand to steady her until she reached the ground. She adjusted her dress and cloak, holding a hand protectively over the swell of her belly as she took Loki's extended arm. He guided her to the steps where Helgi and Brenna now stood, Fen running in circles, trying to take everything in.  
Thor had joined them by the time Loki reached the steps.  
“Loki, your bedchamber is ever yours. I had your court garments cleaned and stored in your wardrobe. Refresh yourself. the ride has been a long one. Milady, I will send a servant with dresses for you to choose from.”   
He turned to the children, “Master Fen, Mistress Brenna, you will accompany my manservant to the royal nursery where you may change into proper attire. Your cousin, Lóriði will be there.”  
Eidra gripped Loki's arm hard but he patted her hand, reassuringly as Thor turned back to them, “I will fetch you soon and we will present your family to Mother and Father.”  
As Thor strode through the doors of the palace with his manservant and the children in tow, Eidra fought a maddening urge to run after them until Loki took her elbow, “Let us revisit our old bedchamber shall we?”   
She gave a quick nod, “Lead the way.”

The doors creaked loudly as Loki pushed them open. They slowly walked into the bedchamber that had seen the beginning of their relationship. The smell of must mingled with the scent of lavender, wood smoke, fresh linen. Memories flooded them as they gazed about the room. Eidra felt a little sad at seeing the cold hearth. Their chairs were still before the fireplace. She thought she might ask if they could take them back to Rialo when they returned home. Loki let his hand slip from hers and went to sit on the bed. Eidra came to stand before him where he put his hands on either side of her belly, kissing it, lingering there as she stroked his hair.   
“So many nights we spent here together in the throes of passion, playing games, talking, laughing, crying. It is painful to recall.”  
She felt him nod against her, “Have I told you how very dear you are to me?”  
She smiled down at him, “All the time, my love.”  
“Good, so long as you never forget.”  
He stood up and strode to the large wardrobe, opening it, the sight of his old garments tightening his throat. He had always prided himself upon being well dressed for the court. There was a shred of vanity left in him. He turned back to Eidra with a sly smile and held out his arms.  
“Woman, undress me. I wish to wear the court dress today.”   
She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head, “Do you now? Why Milord, I live to serve.” She gave his bottom a resounding smack as she passed him on her way to the wardrobe. When she reached up to take down the garments from the hooks at the back of the wardrobe, his hands stole around from behind her to cup her breasts as he rutted himself against her. She braced her hands at the back wall of the wardrobe to prevent herself from dropping to the floor, the motion serving to unlock her knees.   
“Loki” She scolded him, “You know how I get when I am with child.”  
He chuckled as his lips found that spot at the back of her neck. She groaned aloud, pushing back at him.  
“I do know how you get, my little minx. And you know how I get.”   
They remained thus curved together, rubbing against each other, exchanging kisses over her shoulder, his fingers teasing the hard buds of her nipples through the fabric of her bodice until they were breathless. With a mighty effort, she untangled herself from his embrace. “We do not know how long Thor will be. Get changed, you dog.”  
He laughed, bumped against her once more as there came a knock at the door and a young servant girl walked in with an armful of dresses.  
Eidra broke away, punching him in the arm as he kept grasping at her. She took the dresses from the servant who bowed deeply and looked to Loki, averting her eyes immediately as he drew his tunic over his head.  
“Come help me with the dresses would you?” Eidra steered the girl away toward the bed, “Loki tends to forget his manners.” She looked over her shoulder at her husband and shook her head. “Now help me put on the green one, it looks lovely...”

Brenna and Fen kept close together, his previous enthusiasm having worn away to trepidation as the manservant, a large black man dressed in gold trimmed robes, whom they found was named, Aeolus, opened the doors to the royal nursery and waved them in.   
The nursemaid, a robust woman with long blond hair, sat across the room beside a great fireplace, rocking a small baby in her arms. She nodded to Brenna and Fen. “The court tailor will be here presently. He will fit you to some proper court dress. I am Bruna and this is the crown prince, Lóriði,” She smiled at the baby in her arms.   
Fen was listening but not entirely paying attention. The scene that had greeted them as they walked into the nursery was every child's dream. There were rocking horses, toy swords and shields hung on the walls, a whole army of soldiers dressed as royal guards, leather covered balls, carved animals like the ones Chris had done for him but far more elaborate. He stood there, mouth open in wonder.  
Brenna, though she'd spent the first six seasons of her life in the palace, had never been to the royal nursery. She had long ago put away her little rag dolls and the house Volsa had built from spare wood but she couldn't help being drawn to a replica doll house of the palace interior complete with furnished rooms and a small wooden family, noting that the carver had gone to painstaking lengths to make them look like Odin and Frigga, Thor and her father. She held his figure in her hands, studying it until she heard Bruna's voice in her ear.   
“Come, Miss, the court tailor is here, we shall pick you out a nice dress.”  
Brenna whirled around, nearly bumping into Bruna who had put the sleeping prince in his bassinet.  
“Forgive me, I was only looking..”  
Bruna laughed, “And welcome you are to do so. But first we must get you ready to see the Allfather and the Queen Mother.”  
She led Brenna into a small bedchamber off the main nursery room, Brenna looking behind her at Fen who was playing on the floor with the army, the court tailor standing patiently over him. For a moment, Brenna wondered if she should be separated from him. Mother worried so about such things, but then the door was closing and Bruna was helping her unlace her bodice.   
“What is your favorite color, my dear?”  
“Blue, it is my mother's favorite color as well.”  
Bruna loosened the ties of her skirt and Brenna stepped from her dress, holding her arms across her breasts self consciously while Bruna slipped a beautiful blue affair over her head. As she slipped her arms through the sleeves of the dress, she heard Fen outside in the nursery.  
“Oh must I change? What is the matter with what I have on?”   
“The young prince is of a strong opinion is he not?” Bruna remarked as she tied the sash of the long dress behind Brenna's back. The young prince, Brenna thought, so it is true.  
“He is a brat,” Brenna wrinkled her nose, “You put it much too politely.”   
Bruna steered her to a long polished metal mirror. The tight bodice and narrow sleeves accentuated her slim waist, the hem floated just above the floor. The indigo blue satin seemed to define the darker blue specks in her eyes.   
“I would love this one.” She turned around, watched the skirt flare in a graceful swirl about her legs.   
Bruna nodded, “I shall set it aside then. Let us try on a couple more just in case you change your mind.”  
They tried on another three in fact, but in the end she stepped from the bedchamber wearing the blue dress. Fen pointed and laughed at her, “You look silly.”  
Brenna put her hands on her hips. “I think I look beautiful.”   
She eyed his outfit. Tailored breeches, a dark green tunic tapered at the waist and tucked in, a long over vest, and a dark leather great coat in his size with boots to match.   
“And you look like you are playing dress up.”   
He stuck his tongue out at her but in truth he seemed pleased with himself. A knock on the nursery door drew their attention as the door swung open. In walked Eidra in a dark green long gown, similar in style to Brenna's but made of shimmering sateen with gold chased threads running through it and a high gold velvet bodice. She had pulled back her hair, put it in a chignon and given her cheeks and lips some color. Brenna had always thought her mother the most beautiful woman in the nine realms but in this moment, Brenna wondered how her father had been so lucky to capture her for his wife. She looked magical.   
And then Brenna saw her father enter the nursery behind her mother. He had been transformed. Gone was the peasant farmer with the long pony tail and the patched tunic come fresh from the fields. He too had pulled his hair back from his face and tied it out of the way, adding a long braid that fell down his shoulder tied with a leather thong. His court dress consisted of fit breeches, a similar under tunic like Fen's though the vest was dark green leather with tooled snakes upon each lapel. He wore dark bronze richly ornamented vambraces and pauldrons that made him seem ready to march off to war. His dark brown boots came halfway up his calves. He had brought his short sword along on the trip and it now rested in its scabbard at his waist. He looked so very handsome. Together with mother, Brenna thought, they looked as regal as the king and queen themselves. Catching her scrutiny, Loki smiled at her and held out his hand, “Come, children, it is time.”


	5. 5

Fen practically had to run to keep up with his father and uncle. With his short strides, he would fall behind every few steps as he tried to take in the polished marble walls, paintings, busts of Asgardians whose names were lost to time, the big torches ablaze every few feet, the secrets hiding behind each door they passed, the people that would nod and stare at them. He would be nudged into motion by his mother or sister if he stopped too long.   
All at once, they halted before a set of large doors at the end of a corridor.   
“Stay here, let me see if mother and father are ready.” Thor held his hand up, opened the doors which creaked loudly, and slipped inside the room.  
Fen had been eager to reach Asgard, excited to see the city but now, facing the great gilded doors before him he felt overwhelmed. He scurried over to bury his face against his father's waist.   
“Fen, stand up straight,” Loki put his hand atop the boy's head, “We shall be going inside in a moment.” He could hear Thor's footsteps as he returned to the door on the other side. Fen, however, was now thoroughly frightened and he held up his arms to Loki who looked over to Eidra, puzzled. “Fen, whatever is wrong?”  
Fen shook his head, “I am scared.”  
With a soft sigh, Loki bent over and hefted Fen up to his waist where Fen wrapped his arms around Loki's neck, legs around his stomach and pressed his face to Loki's neck. Eidra came to stand beside them, rubbing Fen's back. “My little lamb, it will be alright.”  
Fen peaked from under Loki's chin but said nothing only clung tighter to him as he heard the door open. Brenna, standing beside her mother, envied Fen. She couldn't exactly do the same. For one, she was much to big to climb into anyone's arms and she was supposed to be the strongest, being the oldest but her heart was pounding as well. She took her mother's hand, surprised to feel her trembling. She looked up and Eidra returned her gaze with a nervous smile when suddenly Thor was ushering them in.  
“Father was dozing when I first entered.” Thor said to Loki as they passed through the door.  
Brenna had never seen the inner chambers of the royal family save her father's bedchamber when she had lived here. She was too young to wander about the palace alone. Before them sat a massive bed. Carved into the light wood of the headboard was the symbol she recalled seeing on the shields of the royal guards when they had arrived. It had been simply a pretty drawing to her long ago but when they had arrived earlier today, she had prodded Helgi, asking her what the symbol meant.   
“It is Odin's symbol, the Valknut, it means death in battle. The highest honor for a warrior, for that path leads to Valhalla.”  
The three interlocked curved triangles had been carved deep into the headboard as if the woodworker feared that it would someday be worn away. Braziers burned around the room, illuminating a massive wardrobe, a great writing desk beside a cabinet whose doors were cracked open. She could see what must have been thousands of papers, parchments, decrees, letters and edicts stacked in neat piles beside ink wells, long quills. The balcony drapes were half drawn and the room felt overly warm. Along with the braziers there was a fire burning in the massive fireplace to the right of the bed. The Queen mother sat on the opposite side of the bed in a high backed chair, a stand with a small candelabra and a closed book atop it, to her left.  
Brenna could vaguely remember meeting the Queen. Of course she had aged in eight seasons. She stood up with a wide smile, her arms thrown open, waving them closer. Brenna glanced up at her father in whose eyes glittered tears. He hugged Fen closer and whispered something in his ear she couldn't hear. Fen's head came up from her father's shoulder and craned around to look at the Queen.   
“Loki, my dearest heart,” Queen Frigga breathed, “Has it been so long?”  
“Too long, please forgive my inexcusable absence,” He bowed as well as he could with Fen upon him, “And forgive Fenris, he is playing shy today.”  
Loki managed to pry Fen from him and finally, Fen was standing before Frigga, looking down at the floor, his hands behind his back. Loki nudged him forward, though he leaned against his father's hand in protest. He had never seen the woman bending down to look at him he was frightened but then the lady was kneeling before him on the floor and he was staring into her kind eyes as she took his face in her hands.   
“Oh Loki, he looks just like you when you were his age. Such a handsome boy. He will break many a heart,” She caressed his cheeks with her thumbs, “Do not tremble so. You have no need to be afraid. I am your grandmother.”  
Fen's eyes slid up to hers and he gave a slight smile.   
“See? There is nothing to be afraid of, my little prince.”  
Loki winced but said nothing as Fen's head swiveled around to look up at him. Frigga stood from the floor and at once her arms were around Loki's neck in a fierce hug which he returned with greatest tenderness. “My son, It is so very good to see you.” She stepped back and fingered his braid, brushed his hair back from his face, “Where has the time gone?”  
He put a hand on her shoulder, “Mother, I would like to introduce my eldest daughter, Brenna.”  
Loki held out his hand to her, “Come forward and greet your grandmother.”  
Brenna took her father's hand and curtsied low, “Your Majesty.”  
Frigga clapped her hands together, “Oh Loki, she is beautiful, and so grown up. How many seasons are you?”  
“Nearly fifteen, your Majesty.” she clasped her hands in front of her waist mostly for decorum, partly to keep them from flitting about nervously.  
“Just fifteen, I would have thought you older than that,” she chuckled.  
Loki now turned to Eidra and motioned her forward. Eidra had to force her feet to obey, her whole body was trembling. She felt the baby give a kick as if to say, “get on with it” and she took Loki's hand for reassurance. “This is my wife, Eidra, mother of my children.”  
Eidra curtsied, “Your Majesty.”  
Frigga smiled, “It is good to see you again, my dear. I see you will soon deliver your third child.”  
“Fourth, your Majesty, a son, Silas, was born too early and did not survive.”   
“I am so sorry.” Frigga took her by the shoulders, “May this child be delivered safely.”  
Eidra nodded, “Thank you, your Majesty.”  
“Frigga.” a voice issued from the bed, startling Fen enough to back him into his father's waist again.   
Odin struggled to rise upon his elbow. Thor moved forward to assist his father, propping the pillows until he was able to sit back at the headboard. “Why did you not wake me?”  
Frigga sat at the side of the bed, “Because, dearest, you were so tired.”  
Odin waved Frigga's words aside and gestured to Brenna and Fen, his one eye fixing them so that they took each other's hand as they walked forward to stand by the bed.  
“Tell me your names.”  
Brenna was surprised into momentary silence at his abrupt manner but recovered quickly, “My name is Brenna and this is my brother, Fen, your Majesty.”  
“Come closer, boy. My eyesight is not what it used to be.”   
Brenna walked Fen to the bed, standing with him as he would not let go of her hand, holding it painfully tight when Odin took the boy's chin, turning his face this way and that, “Strong stock, a weakness in the jawline which must be built up.”  
“Odin, he is not a horse!” Frigga cried, pulling Fen from his grasp and hauling him up on her lap. “He is just a little boy.”  
“And he must be also a man someday. A prince must be strong as his forebears...or despite them.”   
Loki clenched his hands, felt a tap on the shoulder and turned to see Thor gesturing towards the bed as if to say “do you see now?”  
Odin gestured a tad gentler to Brenna, “..and a princess, a great boon to uniting kingdoms. Has your father any prospects of marriage for you yet?”  
“I am only fourteen seasons, your Majesty.” Brenna was taken aback by even the merest thought of marriage, though she had been lovesick over Moran for the longest time now.   
“Loki, you should start to search for a proper husband, one that will uplift her status. I will see to it since you no longer choose to gravitate in such circles. Now, you,” Odin's attention shifted to Eidra, “Come here.”  
Loki's ire was rising but he kept silent.   
Odin bade her turn around, studying her protruding belly.  
“Another child on the way. It would be more seemly were you a Lady as the mother of a prince and princess.”   
Eidra started to speak but Odin clapped his hands. A guard appeared and Eidra was delighted to see it was Silas. He smiled briefly at her as he bowed to Odin. “Yes, your Majesty.”  
“Call for my scribe.”  
Silas bowed again and was gone.   
“Now, it is high time that the young royals learned the ways of palace life. I will have rooms prepared for them.”  
“With all due respect, your Majesty, we have only come for a visit,” Eidra curtsied again.   
Odin's face hardened. Thor had only been half right, the Allfather may have become feeble in body but his mind seemed sharp as ever, “How are they to learn proper decorum in a village full of peasants?”  
“I will not leave them here alone. They need not learn to behave in a world they have had no part of...”   
“This we shall remedy. You all will stay. The princess needs her mother as the prince needs the guidance of his father.”  
Loki sighed, this was what he had been afraid of. “We thank you for your gracious offer, Allfather, but we must decline.We have a home in Rialo, friends, livestock, fields we tend to. It is out of the question.”  
Brenna had been standing there, listening, her mind working. Return to live in the palace, her old home? Learn the ways of a princess? It sounded much too good to be true. She would be part of the royal court. She would have attendants, ladies in waiting, a room as grand as this.  
“And you would have them live out their lives as simple farmers, laborers?” Odin muttered.  
Loki nodded, “As their father did, yes. If they desire a trade, so be it. We will provide them with the opportunity. ”  
“You were not born to be a lowly farmer, a peasant!” Odin pointed a crooked finger at him, “You chose this life for yourself.”  
Loki could not help it. If he held the words inside of him, they would fester, rot like an open wound. “No Father, you chose it for me.”  
Eidra cast a pleading look at Thor, then at the children. Thankfully he had been of the same mind. He stepped forward to Brenna with a flourish.  
“Children come with me, I will show you around the palace before the evening meal. They are building the bonfires for the morrow.”  
Brenna wanted to stay and listen but was soon being herded from the room by her uncle's massive arms, Fen still clutching her hand tightly. She turned to see her father gesturing towards Odin but the door was soon closed behind them and she was standing with the King of Asgard alone in the hallway.

Frigga scowled at Odin as he kept up his tirade, “Royal blood flows in your veins. You would bury it in the dirt along with the hopes and dreams of your children for the love of a simple handmaid? A seductress? I should have listened to Thor and sent her back to ...”  
“Father, you are too bold!” Loki shouted at him, “You speak of my wife!” He shot Eidra a look, fire in his eyes.   
“If you think so highly of her, perhaps she would have your ear and tell you that your rightful place is here in the palace.”  
“I doubt she would plead so fervently for me to return to my rightful place for she well knows I came from the prison cells to rescue her!”  
Frigga could stand it no longer, “Odin, apologize to Eidra at once! She has done nothing to you save love your son. You will not chide her for that.”  
Odin's gaze drifted to Eidra who stood beside Loki.   
“She cannot help what she is. That being said, woman, you do your children a great disservice by keeping them out in the country. The boy knows nothing of the palace, he is timid, he needs guidance.”  
Loki was breathless now, his jaw set. “I am sorry to have disappointed you so, Father. I was a fool to think you would be glad to see that I had found happiness and contentment. Please excuse me.” He bowed, grabbed Eidra's hand, turned and began to walk from the room, only slowing at Frigga's cry to wait.  
She caught up to them as they reached the hallway. “Loki, your father is not disappointed in you, he only wishes the children to stay here and learn what they have missed. His health is failing, who knows how long he shall last.”  
“Nevertheless, mother, I cannot allow it. I will not return to the place where bitter memories would haunt my every waking hour.” The scuttle of feet interrupted them as the scribe appeared and Loki waved him away, “You are not needed now,”   
The scribe looked to Frigga who shook her head as well and he bowed himself from the group quickly. Loki put his hand on Frigga's shoulder then, “Mother, please excuse us. I must find where Thor has taken Brenna and Fen.” A fleeting moment of panic overtook him as he considered the possibility that Thor had removed them from the Allfather's bedchamber with the intention of secreting them away. He scanned the corridor, nervous.  
“Loki please do not leave. Grant us a couple of days with the children.”  
Frigga's eyes met Eidra's as she pleaded silently for her intervention. Like a half remembered dream, Eidra was suddenly reminded of that long ago night when she had been chased into Frigga's path by Thor and Loki. The tenderness Frigga had shown her the first kind gesture she'd received from any member of the royal family.  
“Loki, let us retire to the bedchamber and discuss this while the children are with the King.” Eidra slid her hand around his arm.  
He stood there for a long moment, bowed to Frigga and was leading Eidra away down the corridor towards his old bedchamber.

Loki was infuriated. Odin's temerity had galled him. Upbraiding him before Brenna and Fen, insulting Eidra, calling her a seductress. Inferring that he did not know how to raise his own children, that they should be raised here.   
He swung open the door to the bedchamber, tossing his cloak onto the bed, already shedding his outer vest, shrugging off his tunic. “I will change out of these useless garments. We will gather the children and we will head for home.”  
Eidra sat on the bed, her hand playing with the nap of the cloak, “We promised we would stay until after the feast.”  
“I promised nothing. I came here to silence Thor, to see Mother,” A lump formed in his throat as he thought of Frigga's forlorn gaze, “I have spent far too much time here in this palace to suit me. I wonder now why I bothered to return. Odin all but called you a common whore. You cannot truly wish to remain here.”  
Eidra stood, walked over to him, spread her hands across his chest. “He is old, his mind feeble.”  
“He did not forget you were once a servant.”   
Suddenly his arms were around her, she could feel his heart beat wild at her chest, one hand sliding down to the swell of her belly, “I feared this would happen. That we would meet with resentment.”  
“The queen was very kind to me, think of her. Besides,” She put her hand beside his and they smiled together as they felt the baby roll beneath their palms. “We stay here and irritate him, we leave and anger him. Your choice.”  
His smile faded as he tightened his embrace, “I doubt either option will satisfy the old goat. Nevertheless, I will stay for you and for mother but the moment he disrespects a one of us we are leaving.”  
“Agreed,” she reached up to stroke his face, “Come lay down, rest, let the children visit with the King.”  
Her words were cut off as his mouth covered hers in a searing kiss, “I shall lay down but I will not rest.”  
“Nor I suspect, shall I.”

 

Brenna felt the soft velvet of the horse's nose as it nuzzled her hand.  
“I have never seen so many horses in one place.”  
They were at the stables, Thor squatting down to point out something to Fen. “We need the horses for our army but we also ride for pleasure. I myself ride every day.”  
“You need not save the horses to work in the field?”  
Thor shook his head as Brenna looked about the stable, “And I should be able to do the same were I to stay here?”  
“If you so wished. You would learn deportment and court etiquette, formal dance, study under our eminent scholars, the latest fashion would be at your disposal. Do you know how to play any musical instruments?”  
“I do not.”  
“Then that opportunity would be afforded you as well.”  
Fen was already off on a run through the stables to the next wondrous sight and they followed him, “You would also be found a husband, titled, with land, a fine manor. As a princess of the realm, you are entitled to a dowry from the royal coffers.”  
Brenna giggled, “I am too young to think of marriage.”  
Thor took her hand and patted it, “I grant you are too young to marry, however, the right age for a betrothal.”  
They entered a large arena surrounded by tall stands, a large canopied section of seats with two thrones perched at the highest level, overlooking the vast dirt arena floor.   
“Here we have games, sword fights, public punishment for those foolish enough to disobey the King's edicts, debates, plays...”  
Fen was playing at imaginary swords with an opponent only he could see when a servant came trotting down the stairs from the top of the arena and bowed to him. “Milord, the Allfather requests your presence.”  
Thor looked to Brenna and Fen, “Forgive me. I will deliver you to your parents.”  
They followed behind the king, their heads a-swivel, taking everything in until finally they were at the doors to Loki's bedchambers. Thor knocked, hearing someone giggle, call out, “Come in.”   
Brenna and Fen burst through the door to find Loki and Eidra sitting on the bed, their hair mussed up, faces red, hands clasped, their mirth barely contained. Brenna rolled her eyes, running to the balcony to look out over the city. Her parents were always fooling around in such a manner. She often wondered whether she was the adult and they were the children then her mind turned away from them, musing on all her uncle had told her. She would have a balcony like this to sit upon and watch city life ebb and flow were she to stay at the palace. From here she could see the distant shore of the Western Ocean, the great stone gates of the Bifrost. She became determined then to make it happen. She would learn to be a princess, a royal as she was meant to be.


	6. 6

Brenna had been given the use of a bedchamber off the nursery where she had first changed into her new dress. Now she lay beneath a light coverlet trying to sleep. The weather had turned warm. There was a small private balcony off the bedroom. She had spent quite some time at it after the evening meal which she'd taken with her mother, father and Fen in their bedchamber. When her father had asked why she was so quiet, she had half lied and said she was tired. In truth, she was mulling over how she could talk to the Queen, convince her father to let her stay if only for a little while.  
Fen had been given the bedroom beside her and if she lay still, she could hear someone talking to him in low tones. She was sure it wasn't mother. She had bid Brenna goodnight long ago and was now likely back in bed with father. All at once, there came a gentle knock on her door. It swung open slowly to allow Frigga, carrying a small lantern, followed by Fen who ran to her bed and jumped up on it. “Can I stay with you tonight, Bren. I am afraid to be alone.”  
“You are alone every night at home.”  
“But we are not home.”  
Frigga stood there smiling at them. “Fen, dearest, perhaps your sister wishes to have the room to herself.”  
Fen looked at her, his face drawn up in a pout. “I promise I will not steal your covers, I will not kick you either.”  
“Yes you will, you always do,” She sighed as she drew the blankets back to let him in, amused at the robe he wore, a miniature of father's. He snuggled close to Brenna and she shoved him away, giving up after a couple more attempts. Frigga put the lantern on a table by the bed, sitting down beside them.   
“Did you like seeing the palace today?”  
Brenna and Fen nodded in unison as Brenna added, “I have never seen such a place. It is beautiful and the city is so big. May we see it on the morrow?”  
Frigga put her hand to her chin, “I do not know, there will be much preparation for the feast and the bonfires. I could show you around but I must ask your father for permission to take you from the palace.”  
Brenna was confused though she smiled at Frigga. Why would the Queen need permission? Should she not be able to do anything she wished with impunity?  
“Could you talk to father and ask him if I could stay here in the palace with you?”  
“I thought you wished to tour the city?” Frigga raised an eyebrow.  
“Oh I do. I meant I wondered if you could get him to let me live here and learn how to behave like a princess.”  
Frigga's face fell, “I doubt there will be any negotiation on the subject. He is adamant that you return to Rialo. You must obey your father even if you do not agree with him.”  
“He is so unreasonable,” Brenna whined.  
“You must look at it from his perspective. He is your father. You would be asking him to leave you here alone half a day's journey away for who knows how long. He would miss you terribly.”  
Brenna sat up, “He would scarce notice I was gone. I am a girl. Boys are more important to men and he has Fen.”  
“Prince Fen!” Fen piped up, giving her a shove.  
“Shut it, you little worm.” Brenna hissed.  
Frigga stood from the bed, “My child, it is time you put these thoughts to rest along with yourself. Get some sleep.”  
“Yes, your Majesty.”  
Frigga put her hand out, caressed Brenna's cheek, “Please call me grandmother. It would mean so much to me.”  
“Yes...Grandmother,” She replied but quieter as if to soften her seeming irreverence.   
Frigga bent down and extinguished the lantern on the nightstand, “I will see you on the morrow. Good night.”  
“Good night,” they replied to Frigga as she closed the door behind her and they were left with the glow of the half moon shining through the balcony archway.  
“I do not want you to stay here. I want you to come home with us,” Fen whispered.  
“Do you not want to stay? You could have such fun, ride horses all day if you liked, play, go on hunts. Explore the palace.”  
She felt Fen shake his head. “I want to go home with Mama and Papa.”  
“Wait until you are my age. You will feel differently.”  
He touched her arm, “You must come home with us Brenna, say you will.”  
“If father lets me stay, I will remain here.”  
“But I would miss you.”  
She could hear the worry in his voice. “Fen, you could visit. I am sure Mama would insist upon coming to see me regularly.”  
“Come home with us.” Fen sidled closer.  
“Go to sleep.” She murmured as she hunkered down beneath the covers.

 

Eidra threw the covers from her as she lay on her side, panting, the cool air a balm upon her sweat slick skin. Loki held fast to her shoulders, his forehead pressed against her back just below the nape of her neck. She could feel him start to soften, slip from her and she smiled, put one hand to her shoulder to grasp his hand. He chuckled, low as he moved in closer to hug her to him.  
“I had been thinking of you, of this all day from the moment we walked into this bedchamber for the first time in so many seasons.”  
“As, I confess, was I,” she murmured, snuggling as tightly to him as she could.  
He was silent for so long, she thought that he had fallen asleep, and she gave a little start as he sighed, “Brenna was quite enamored of the palace, the prospect of leading the life of a princess. Perhaps this was not such a good idea to come here after all.”  
“You wanted to visit just as much as Thor wanted you to. It was your home, I would expect nothing less. Do not worry so. On the morrow, we will celebrate Walpurgis. You have decided to go on a hunt with Thor and his party have you not?”  
She felt him nod, “And then there will be the bonfires and the feast and if you so decide, we may leave directly after.”  
He planted a kiss on her sweet spot, sucking gently at the skin, tasting the sweet salt of perspiration, driving him to throb once again to life as she purred at his attention. “Gods, you are insatiable, my love.”  
“If I am so, It is because you are beside me.”  
He draped his arm around her belly, “Perhaps you are right. We shall leave after the feast. I worry about the animals, about Chris and Sally.”  
“Whatever you desire.” She held his arm around her, content in the fact that should her life end again here and now, she would have been thoroughly loved enough to last for eternity.  
“I have what I desire, Eidra.”  
She smiled her eyes drifting closed, “So do I.”

 

Brenna watched the flames spiral to the night sky. Her father, Fen and the King stood silhouetted against the orange yellow glow. Odin had been too ill to attend the lighting of the bonfires and so the King had given the ritual speech. Now people milled about, laughing, drinking, tossing offerings to the gods into the bonfire. Helgi and her mother stood beside her, talking.   
“Artra has developed the gout, I told her to ask for an assistant but you know how stubborn she can be. Almost as stubborn as Volsa.”  
Eidra shook her head, “It is a wonder they have not done each other in yet.”  
Brenna, bored with the topic of conversation, drifted over to where her father stood. Fen, spying her, ran to pull her along until she was standing beside the King gazing into the flames, willing herself to withstand the heat.  
“Greetings, Princess,” Thor bowed, “What think you of the festival?”   
“Do not encourage her, Brother,” Loki warned him, “I shall never hear the end of it.”  
Thor winked at Brenna then, “Come now. I speak only the truth.”  
“Thor..”  
“The daughter of a prince is a princess is she not?”  
Loki chewed at his lip, “A title I no longer hold..”  
Thor waved his hand above Loki's head, “A detail easily remedied. Then you could stay here in the palace. We could hunt together again, the summer games will be upon us ere you know. You've always enjoyed participating even if you are woefully unmatched,” Thor poked him in the side with a chuckle receiving a punch on the arm in return, “Besides, what harm would a month in Asgard do for your children? It could help you find Brenna a husband when she has been trained in court ettiquette and decorum.”  
Loki stared into the fire. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Brenna catch a giggling Fen in a headlock, digging a knuckle into the top of his skull.  
“You talk of husbands, she is still just a child.”  
Thor leaned over to him, “Take a closer look, brother. She may lack some maturity but she is nearly a woman.”  
Loki would not turn his head but he could not stop the image in his mind of Brenna standing before the mirror at home the night before they'd left for Asgard. How she had pulled in her stomach and admired her decolletage. He had seen the woman then that she was becoming but it made the reality no easier. He'd had far too little time with the child before the woman had appeared. He heaved a great sigh and was about to respond when he saw Sif glide over to Thor's side, two chalices in hand, one of which she handed to Thor. He held the chalice toward Loki who raised his own.  
“To family,” Thor smiled, touching his chalice to Loki's with a metal clink,   
“Indeed,” Loki replied, “Skol.” He regarded Sif's steely gaze, willing the children to return to Eidra's side as Sif grinned at him  
. “Where is your wife?”  
Loki tilted his head, “She is somewhere about.”  
Sif turned then, scanning the crowd until she spotted Eidra, “Oh I see her, speaking with her fellow worker, Helgi,”Sif took a sip of wine, the gold bracelets on her arm tinkling, “It must be awkward for a servant to serve a servant.”  
Loki let the jibe pass, refusing to let Sif bait him. He heard Thor rumble low in his throat as he replied icily, “We all share in the work as a family.”  
Sif looked at Thor and laughed. “So you have become a family of servants. I did not realize menial labor was catching.”  
“Sif,” Thor began though Loki could hear a hint of amusement in his voice, irritating Loki further.   
Loki swept her with a precursory glance, “It is no more contagious than the maladies with which you seem to be afflicted, callousness, cruelty, frigidity.”  
Thor began to choke on the mouthful of wine he'd taken as Sif stepped up to Loki who stood as impassively as he could manage, a stretch indeed as inside he was seething.  
“A cure may be affected for such ills as mine but what cure is there for birthright?” Sif spat, “Your precious wife was born a handmaid, she will die a handmaid as will her children and their children hence. A whole village of servants will you beget!”  
Loki, teeth bared, hissed, “Were it not for the presence of my children, I would challenge you.”  
Sif laughed, “Were it not for the fact that you are afraid of me, I might believe you.”   
“Sif!” Thor roared, inserting his hands between them pushing them apart, his action catching the attention of Brenna, Fen and a few other people around them. “A handmaid Eidra may have been but she has given birth to royalty twice over.” Sif was startled but held her ground,“Forgive me,” she bowed to Loki as her eyes slid to Thor, “It seemed to have slipped my mind that his Majesty also has an affinity for the hired help.”  
“Enough of this!” Thor glared at her, “The night is supposed to give itself over to joy and feasting and we will do as it bids!”  
Sif lowered her eyes, “Yes, Sire.”  
Thor nodded to Loki, “Very well. Now let us go, it is time for the feast.”

 

Brenna rolled her eyes as she sat at the long table between Frigga and Fen. Across the way sat her mother and father and they were at it again. Her mother would pick a piece of roast pork off her plate and feed it to her father, then he would do likewise, sometimes dangling the morsel before her while she held her mouth open, laughing. Other times she would lean her head on his shoulder and steal from his plate,when she thought he wasn't looking even though there was plenty of food before her. He would catch her. Then they would laugh and kiss.   
It seemed as if being back in the palace had made them lovesick. She felt once again as if she were the adult and they the children. In fact, as she watched Fen play with his food, she felt like the only adult in the whole family.  
Her plate sat empty before her. The food had been incredible, perfection. The bread warm, sweet, the fruit as fresh as if it had just been plucked. Plates of apples sat at intervals on the long table, their skin so yellow it seemed almost gold. When she had taken one and bitten into it, the taste was unparallelled. Even the fruit from their small well tended orchard at home seemed pale and insipid by comparison. The roast pig must surely have been fed upon the same apples for the meat was sweet and salty, smoky and crisp all at once. Vegetables of all types abounded. Roasted parsnips, a favorite of hers as well as her mother's, great ears of corn, steamed potatoes, and a myriad of others reflecting the richness of the palace's cold cellars. Sweets too, were everywhere, caramel puddings, berry pancakes with honey, sugared fruits, sponge cake. She had tried a little of everything but now as the food was forgotten in favor of storytelling and song, boredom overtook her. She turned to Frigga, “Grandmother, may I be excused?”  
Frigga nodded, “You may, my child. Do not wander far.”  
At once, Fen piped up, “Where are you going? May I come?”  
“No, you stay here with Mother and Father. I am going for a walk about the hall.”  
Fen began to protest but was quickly distracted by Frigga who held Fen's interest with a bowl of sugared nuts while she waved Brenna away.   
Brenna drifted into the crowd, watching the servants, the women with their long flowing dresses, the men in their breeches and court dress unaware she, too, was being observed. She had stopped to listen to a troupe of musicians performing in one corner of the Great Hall when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she was suddenly face to face with the Queen.  
“It would seem the daughter favors the mother,” Sif purred.  
When Brenna tilted her head in confusion, Sif smiled benevolently, “You look like your mother.”  
“Oh, I have been told that.”  
“Indeed, although your hair is darker like your father's. You have your mother's features. Such beautiful eyes, a fine healthy glow, and what a pretty shape you have. Were you here at court, all eyes would be upon you. I must confess I am jealous.”  
Brenna looked the stately woman over, wondering what she had to be jealous of. She was tall, possessing of a severe beauty. Large grey eyes, full set mouth, a delicate nose, long ebony hair decorated with gold filament and a finely chiseled musculature all combined to make the Queen as lovely as she was regal.  
“I have some dresses in my wardrobe that I no longer wear. Perhaps you would like to have them. Come, you can try them on, see how a princess should look.”  
Brenna felt gooseflesh erupt along her arms but the thought of having something beautiful to wear that didn't come from her mother's workbaskets was overwhelming.  
“I cannot be gone too long. I promised...,” she paused, having to force the word yet again, “I promised grandmother I would not stray far.”  
Sif smiled wide, “My chambers are quite close and I shall not keep you overlong. I would not wish to worry the Queen Mother. Shall we?”  
Brenna nodded and with one more glance around the hall, she followed Sif out into the torchlit corridor, away from the feast.


	7. 7

Brenna looked at herself in the mirror. The dress, made of watered silk in blue tones, was sleeveless and backless, tied at the neck to hold up the bodice. An elegant sheer over robe made of the same fabric flowed to the floor completing the ensemble. The material swayed and shifted with each movement. It felt divine against her skin.  
Sif stood beside her, holding her hair forward into a bun at the back of her neck. “Oh my, you truly are a beauty. Do you often wear your hair up? It suits you.”  
Brenna twisted around, trying to see the back of the dress in the reflection, “Father would never let me wear this.”  
“Oh?” Sif let Brenna's hair fall, arranging it around her neck, “I was of a mind, since you would be staying at the palace and he would be far away in Peasantville or wherever it is you hail from now....,”  
“Rialo.” Brenna countered.  
Sif pursed her lips, “That he would expect you to have a wardrobe for use at court. I just wished to give you a head start.”  
Brenna ran her fingers along the fabric at her hips, “I thank you, your Majesty.”  
“Aunt Sif, please.”  
Brenna colored a bit. More than anything, addressing royalty so familiarly would be the hardest thing to get used to, “Father refuses to let me stay.”  
Sif's eyes widened as she crossed her arms. “Did you ask him why he was so dead set against it?”  
Brenna nodded, “There was more than one reason, but he told me the largest by far was that palace life is full of traitors and liars, endless intrigues. One cannot trust another and it is something he would rather I not learn firsthand.”  
Sif gently took her chin in hand, “So he would rather you be naive and innocent your whole life, never learning how to spot the bad and separate them from the good like wheat from the chaff?”  
When she let go, Brenna stared at the floor, “He says I am too trusting, like my mother.”  
“But you cannot learn whom to trust if you are kept like a rare bird in a golden cage. You must learn to follow your instincts, they will often lead you down the right path. You decided to come with me, after all. I am your aunt. We are family and family should stay together, strong, united.”  
Brenna's initial instinct had been to run when Sif had first approached her but this she kept to herself.  
Sif walked to the bed where she had laid out a few gowns and looked them over, “Let us try on a new gown.”  
She returned to where Brenna stood, working the knot out of the halter at Brenna's neck,   
“Why did you argue with my father at the bonfire?”  
Sif sighed, squeezing Brenna's shoulders, “I was angry with him. I think your father is being stubborn, selfish. I see how he charges you with your little brother's care, treating you like a glorified babysitter.”  
Brenna frowned as Sif''s words sank in. Father was always holding her responsible for Fen's actions. One day she had given Fen the milk pail to carry when it was her turn at the milking and Fen had spilled some of it on the way into the cottage. Father had chastised her for letting him carry the pail though Fen had begged and pleaded to do so in the first place. From the time he had started to walk, in fact, she had been responsible for him. Watching that he did not come too near the fireplace when mother and father were busy. Amusing him, helping to change his soiled nappy, keeping him from getting underfoot.  
Amidst her inner tirade, she could hear the voice of Reason, shouting at her that her parents trusted her, relied on her help so that they could maintain the household, manage the land, put food on the table...She quickly slapped her hand over Reason's mouth until at last it stood silent, shaking its head at her.  
“Here you would have nursemaids to look after him and you could have more time to yourself.”  
More time to herself? To read? To knit, draw, take walks in the forest. Brenna stood still while Sif buttoned up the back of a crimson shift she'd pulled over Brenna's head. “Could I learn to shoot crossbow?”  
Sif hesitated. “It is not needed for a lady to learn such things but I suppose if you asked to do so, your wish would be the court's command, you are a princess after all.”  
Brenna turned in the mirror, admiring the shift, the long flowing sleeves, the high neck and the open bodice that displayed her budding cleavage to full advantage.  
“This is your color. You look radiant. We shall get your hair pinned up. Now you look like the princess you were meant to be.”   
Brenna stood straighter and thought to herself, “The princess I shall be.”

 

The crowd had thinned a bit when Brenna and Sif rejoined the feast. Whenever anyone would bow to Sif, she would wave her hand to Brenna, “And to the princess as well.” and they would bow accordingly. 

Loki glanced again over to Eidra who was standing upon the raised steps leading to the outer archway of the Great Hall, scanning the crowd for Brenna. She shrugged her shoulders and he was about to look away when she started to wave and point towards the opposite end of the hall. Loki turned to see Sif moving through the crowd toward Tho. At her side, smiling and nodding to people, was Brenna. He whirled about to glare at Eidra. Even from her distance, she could see the fire in his eyes as he quickly spun around and started for the pair, keeping them in his sights.

“See how it feels to be acknowledged?” Sif whispered in her ear as they approached a well attired young man, handsome, with dark brown hair and even darker brown eyes. He smiled, bowing low to Sif. His smile brightened as he spied Brenna beside her.   
“Lars,” Sif held out her hand which he touched to his lips ever so softly.   
“Your Majesty.”  
Sif turned to Brenna, “This is Brenna, daughter of Prince Loki.”  
Lars took Brenna's hand and she shuddered at his touch, the warmth of his fingers, the firm grip, the press of his lips on her skin just at the knuckles. “Your Highness, I am delighted to meet you.”  
“As am I...” She hesitated, looked to Sif for help.  
“Milord would be appropriate.” Sif smiled at him as Brenna finished, “Milord.”  
“She is just learning court etiquette, forgive her.”  
Lars bowed again, “Not at all, I am delighted to help her practice.”  
Sif had seen Loki heading towards them. She could hardly contain her delight as she took Brenna's elbow and began to steer her in the opposite direction. “Please excuse us, Lars. I must continue to introduce her to the court.”  
Lars smiled, “It has been a pleasure, your Highness.”  
Sif put her arm around Brenna's shoulders, “Let us go show your uncle how grown up you look.”  
They were mere feet from Thor who stood talking to a group of men when suddenly Loki was before them, blocking their path. Brenna watched her father assess her as he stepped close enough for her to smell the wine he'd been drinking.  
“You will return to wherever you left your dress and change at once.”  
“But Father, Sif gave me this dress.”  
His low, even voice disturbed her more than his words. She recognized the tone that meant he was moments away from an outburst. His gaze flickered to Sif whose tight lipped grin seemed to brighten further.   
“I was only being generous, Loki. Do not chide her. She may keep the dresses. She looks so regal in them.”  
Loki leaned in to Brenna's ear. “I repeat, you will fetch your dress and change back into it. This style is inappropriate for someone your age.”  
Brenna was about to ask for Sif to bring her back to her bedchamber when Sif shook her head ever so slightly and she stepped back from Loki, “No Father, I will not change. I see nothing wrong with...”  
“NOW!” Loki's roar rang throughout the hall as silence fell over the crowd. Brenna cringed, her eyes shut tight as she felt the tears threaten to start. Her throat stung too much to attempt a reply. Instead she turned, stumbled, regained her footing and was soon out in the corridor trying to recall the way to Sif's room.  
Eidra was halfway across the hall when she heard Loki's shout and saw Brenna run out of the Hall through the far double doors. She started with renewed urgency towards Loki.

“How cruel.” Sif growled as Loki began to look about the hall for Eidra. “Why would you embarrass her so and for something so simple as a change of outfit.” She saw Thor parting the crowd, heading for them at one angle, from another Eidra not far behind.   
“Why would you dress my daughter in such an outfit, fill her head with delusions? You had no right...” He felt Eidra's hand on his arm and he turned to her.  
“Go find Brenna,”   
He turned back, expecting to find Sif scowling at him, instead he came face to face with Thor. Sif had melted into the crowd.

Brenna struggled to undo the buttons at the back of her neck with trembling fingers. She had been crying so hard when she reached Sif's room, she'd had to lean on the wall for a long moment to catch her breath. She had never felt so small in her life, so ashamed. She stamped her foot in frustration when the buttons refused to give way to her fingers, and a new freshet of tears began to threaten. Hands at the buttons made her jump forward until she heard Sif.  
“Hush, my dear, I know how you feel.”  
When she had the buttons undone, she took Brenna's old dress and slipped it over her head. Brenna bent over, retrieved the crimson shift and handed it back to Sif who lay it on the bed.  
“Thank you for the dresses but I will have to leave them here.”  
Sif came up to her and wrapped her in a tight hug as the tears she had been holding back, burst forth, “Why did he yell at me so? It was a dress, just a simple dress, gods!”  
“Dry your tears, my darling, I told him he was being unreasonable with you. I will do everything in my power to see that you are able to stay here.”  
“Will you?” Brenna leaned back and looked up at her.  
“I shall but you must do your part too. You must convince him that this is the right thing to do for you and your brother.”  
She wiped her eyes, “I do not think there is anything I can say that will change his mind.”  
“You can naught but try,” Sif stroked her cheek, “That is all you can do.”

Eidra watched Loki scoop Fen up as he leaned down and kissed Frigga on the cheek, bidding her goodnight, avoiding her questions about what had happened. He had been so angry when Sif had managed to slip into the crowd that Eidra was sure he was going to throw Thor out of the way and go after her. Instead he had turned, taken her hand and dragged her back through the crowd, Thor calling after him to wait.  
Just before they reached the large double doors, Thor caught up with them. “Brother, what in Odin's name is going on?”  
Loki was trembling with rage. A couple times she made an attempt to take Fen from him but he clutched the child as if afraid to let him go. “Your wife is an unconscionable underhanded wench!”  
Thor scowled at Loki, “Have a care how you speak of the Queen.”  
“She should have a care how she uses her influence!” Loki growled, “This visit was a bad idea, Brother.”  
Eidra heard Fen start to whine and she held out her arms, “Loki, give Fen to me. You are scaring him.”  
He let Fen go then, stepping closer to Thor “There will be no end to this now. You have filled their heads with grand designs. They will think themselves above their fellow villagers. They will become vain, proud.”  
“They should be proud, they are royalty.”  
“Not in Rialo!” Loki shouted. “They are brother and sister, my children, nothing more.”  
“That is your choice, not theirs.”  
“And that is how it should be, I am their father!” Loki took a deep breath, trying to still his hammering heart. “I am going to retire. We will leave for Rialo first thing in the morning.”  
When Thor started to protest, Loki held up his hand, “Good night, Brother.”  
“Loki,”  
“Good night!”

She had to set Fen down after a few steps, her back, aching from trying to keep him off her belly though he whined and pushed himself against her to be picked up again. “Fen, I cannot carry you, it is too much with the baby. Come I will hold your hand.”  
They walked down the corridor until they reached the nursery where Fen and Brenna were staying. It was quiet. Bruna was lying on a cot beside the bassinet where Lóriði slept. She raised her head when they walked in and nodded silently.  
“Is my daughter in the bedchamber?”   
Bruna nodded, whispered, “Yes, she came in a short while ago.”  
Eidra walked Fen in to his bed, tucked him under the coverlet and sat with him for a while until his eyes closed in sleep. When she entered Brenna's bedchamber, she said her name a few times. Receiving no response, she realized Brenna was deep asleep. She had intended to sit and talk with her about the evening's excitement, instead, she reached down, brushed Brenna's hair from her face and kissed her forehead, whispering. “Love you, my dearest heart.” then stood and left for her own bedchamber, missing the tear that rolled down Brenna's cheek.

He knew it was coming even before she opened her mouth. Saw it as she walked over to him that morning while he was positioning the horse in front of the wagon. Helgi tried to fix her with a warning stare which she summarily ignored.  
“Father, I wish to remain here in the palace.”  
He continued to hitch the horse up, the sounds of creaking leather, the clink of metal loud in the quiet of the early morning.  
“Father, might I stay?”  
Fen had been standing in the back of the wagon, moving the bales of hay around. Now he leaned over the bench of the wagon waving his hand at Loki. “Papa, Bren is talking to you.”  
“I hear her. Your sister would do well to learn what silence means.”  
“Father, please could I stay just for a little while?”  
Loki turned to Brenna, “It is out of the question. Neither of you belong here in the palace. I will hear no more upon it.”  
“But why father? Do you not want me to be happy?”  
Loki narrowed his eyes at her, “Your happiness is of the utmost importance to me therefore you must trust my judgment when I tell you that you shall be happier at home. Your mother's time draws near and she will need your help with Fen and the new baby.”  
She recalled with painful clarity the phrase Sif had used, “So I am to be a glorified babysitter?”  
Loki tightened the strap below the horse's belly, “Call it what you will. I would not expect you to look at it any other way.”  
“I hate you.” Brenna mumbled beneath her breath.  
Loki paused then, “So be it but you will hate me in Rialo. Now I will hear no more of this, do you ken?”  
Brenna crossed her arms and fixed him with a stare, “No I do not. I will stay here...” the speed with which her father turned upon her took her by surprise as all at once she was pressed against the wagon while he towered over her.   
“You will do as I say if I have to drag you into this wagon and tie you to the bench, do I make myself clear?!”  
Brenna nodded, mutely, sliding along the side of the wagon until she was able to back away from him, nearly tumbling Helgi to the ground.   
“Child take a care where you are going.” Helgi put her hand on her back to steady her.  
When Thor stepped into the courtyard moments later to see them off, Brenna was already seated on the bench of the wagon, her head hanging in defeat.  
Thor drew Loki aside, “Brother, will you not reconsider staying? All of you, not just the children. This is your true home.”  
Loki was shaking his head, “My home now lies a half day's journey away. Fare you well, Thor.”  
Thor put his hand on Loki's shoulder, “Good journey, Loki. Until we meet again. Promise me you shall make your visits more frequent.”  
Loki smiled at him, saying nothing. He mounted Blackberry who stood beside the wagon waiting patiently, clucked at the horse and started off out of the courtyard, the wagon creaking along behind him. Brenna turned to look back once more at the palace soaring above her. She would return, no matter what, she promised herself, she would return soon.


	8. 8

Brenna listened to her father pitching hay into the stalls for Rose and Tulip which she currently pressed her forehead against, watching the milk stream into the pail below. Her father was humming a tune she couldn't place, irritating her more and more. It had been a month since their trip to Asgard and it was now haying time. Her mother had been having trouble as of late. She'd started getting sick in the mornings again. Helgi had thought it unusual, sending her to bed for a few days which meant Brenna was responsible for her mother's chores as well. Sally had come over to help for a few days, along with Chris who now needed the aid of a cane to get about. Her father would often look at him with great concern. She had overheard them talking once late at night in the common room as she lie in bed. Her father had apologized for bringing Chris here to Asgard but Chris had chastised him, telling him that he wouldn't have had it any other way.  
“Are you finished Brenna? Your mother will be waiting for that milk.”  
“Yes, Father,” her tone was clipped. Suddenly she spied the tips of two boots at her left. She looked up at her father who was standing there, leaning on a pitchfork.  
“What have I done to offend you so early in the day today?”  
She turned her attention back to the milking and closed her eyes, “Nothing, I was only answering you.”  
“Mmm, I could hear the irritation in your voice. I must be getting better at it. You are rarely angry with me until midday.”  
She said nothing, stood with the milk pail, starting for the barn door when she heard her father ask softly, “Bren, will you ever not be cross with me again?”   
“I am not cross, Father,” she replied but kept her feet moving. She wanted to put as much distance between him and herself as possible and to that end was walking with a full head of steam when she came around the corner of the cottage nearly knocking Chris to the ground, stopping quick enough to slosh milk out of the pail.  
“Goodness child, where are you going in such a hurry?” Chris leaned against the wall of the cottage where Brenna had joined him, her hand at her mouth to stifle a scream.  
Chris pushed himself up to stand and peered around the corner towards the barn, “Ah, I see.”  
“I am sorry. I did not mean to be so careless.”  
Chris waved at her, “You didn't know I was there, 'tis not your fault. Have you and your father been at it again?”  
She shook her head, “I was just in a hurry to get the milk to Mama.”  
Chris leaned on his cane, gesturing with a flourish, “Very well then, I shall leave you to continue. Mustn't impede your forward progress.”  
He watched her around the corner of the cottage before he set out for Loki who was currently standing at the stall watching the cows tear at the hay, his hand at the back of his neck.  
Chris tapped him on the shoulder and he started, “Old man, what are you doing out here? You should be inside with your feet up.”  
“For heaven's sake. Soon you will have me in a dress with a pair of knitting needles on my lap. I did not wish to be left inside with a bunch of cackling hens. Rather if I was going to expire, I would rather it while being of some use about the place,” Chris smiled...,”That or planted beneath my beloved in the throes of passion.”  
Loki chuckled and shook his head.  
“What? 'Tis every man's dream, is it not? Oh wait,” he clapped a hand to his forehead, “You are of a mind to die in battle, to reach Valhalla. Yes indeed, I would want nothing more than to die with a sword stirring my guts into soup.”  
Loki glanced at Chris, “Ah but what awaits a warrior slain on the field of battle, the most beautiful women in all creation, all the mead you can drink, endless feasting, war games. It is a warriors paradise,” he patted Rose's side, “But I confess, my friend, I would rather die a quiet death, be reunited with my beloved Eidra. If we be able to stay with our loved ones for eternity in the afterlife you call Heaven, I may consider following your beliefs instead.”  
“What, you become a Christian? That will be the day. Still and all, I shall put in a good word for you when I arrive. They may be able to bend the rules a bit for a decent man such as yourself.”  
Loki chuckled, took Chris's arm, “Come, old friend, let us get inside to the morning meal before we miss it entirely.”

Brenna pulled out a chair for Chris who patted her hand, “Thankee, child.”  
She put a plate of food before him and a mug of cider as Sally came from her parent's bedroom. “Your mother says she will have a bit of porridge with honey.”  
Brenna quickly scooped up some porridge out of the large kettle and drizzled honey generously atop it. Eidra was sitting up in bed when she entered the room, Helgi arranging the coverlet, fluffing the pillows. She turned to Brenna.   
“Here, sit with your mother while she eats. I will go help Sally and give her some peace.” By peace she meant extracting Fen from the foot of the bed where he lay kicking his feet and talking ceaselessly. Helgi picked him up as he thrashed about, “I want to stay with Mama!”  
“Fenris,” Helgi cried, “Behave yourself. Mama must eat, she is ill. Come I will fix your meal. Would you like an apple...?”  
Eidra smiled but Brenna could see the exhaustion in her face.   
“Mama, how are you feeling today?” She took a spoonful of the porridge and held it out to Eidra but Eidra took the spoon and the bowl.  
“I can feed myself, my sweet.”  
She took a mouthful of the porridge, drawing in air, “Hot.”  
Brenna smoothed the coverlet and lay down beside her, snuggling against her as she ate.  
“To answer your question, poppet. I must be frank, I am uneasy. This pregnancy tends the same way Silas's did. I have two more moons to go, I cannot remain in bed all that time. I must regain my strength and my constitution.”  
“You should not have any more children after this. It is too hard on you.”  
Eidra shrugged, “That is your father's decision. We wanted a big family.”  
“At the expense of your health? Tell him no more.”  
“Brenna, do not be rude.”  
She sat up, “But it is true. Is he the only person in this house who may make the decisions? Everyone must listen to him and his word is final. It is not fair.”  
“He is head of this household but we all have a say. Though you may not believe me, he does listen to you, me, all of us. He and I talk, then we make the important decisions together.”  
“Like refusing to leave me in Asgard?”  
Eidra sighed, “Bren, not again, please. It seems every day you find a way to bring this up. You belabor it. A moon has passed already and yet you still want to return?”  
“More than you know, Mama. I do not want to stay in the village anymore. I am going to be fifteen seasons soon, should I not start to make my own choices?”  
“Your father and I do not think your staying at the palace is a wise choice at this time. Now go help Helgi and Sally. Do not let me hear any more to do with Asgard this day.”  
“Yes, Mama.” Brenna grumbled as she shot up from the bed, stomping to the bedchamber door when she heard a voice out in the common room.  
“Brother!”  
“Uncle is here!” she dashed out of the room to see Thor standing before the hearth, clasping Loki's forearm in greeting.  
“Your Highness!” Thor called, beaming as he bowed to her, “I was here to ask your father to accompany me on a short trading trip to Alfheim.”  
“Which I must respectfully decline. Eidra is having a difficult time with the baby.” Loki looked towards the bedchamber.  
“Ah, I hope she recovers quickly. Brenna, would you be adverse to accompany me? It is only for the day, we will be returning to Asgard on the morrow.”  
“No.” Loki answered before she could speak, “She must stay. she needs to care for her brother, help her mother.”  
Thor scanned the room, “But you have a whole household of women to help you.”  
“Thor.”  
He threw his hands in the air, “I know, I know. Very well then. Are you sure you will not accompany me, brother?”  
“Another time,” Loki clasped his hands together, “My mind would not be with me, I would never cease worrying.”  
“Then I must away, the day grows older. Your Highness,” He bowed again to Eidra, to the rest of the house and was gone.  
Loki had pulled out a chair and was about to sit when Brenna started in.  
“A day, you could not spare me for one day?”  
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, “I do not want you on the road with a contingency of soldiers and arms. Did you see one woman in that entire party out there?”  
“I did not look out...”  
“Well I did and I did not count one female among them.”  
“They are men of honor, Father...surely you do not....”  
“That does not mean that they are incapable of being set upon by an enemy. You are a warrior no more than you are a princess.”  
“Father!”  
Loki slammed his hands on the table, making Chris jump, “Heavens.”  
“I am sick to death of this, do you hear me?!” Loki cried, “You pester your poor mother with your endless pleas, you challenge me every day as to why I will not let you run off to spend your days playing dress up, learning to affect airs at court with people who will smile to your face and disrespect you to your back! It ends here! I will brook no more discussion on this topic.”  
“But why..”  
“EVER!” He shouted. “Not.. one.. more.. word.”  
“Father, why will you not listen to me?!”  
Loki stood up then, grabbing Brenna by the arm, ignoring the gasp from Helgi as he dragged her to her bedchamber and shoved her through the doorway.   
“You will stay in here until you are able to clear your mind of the foolish notions within and apologize to the family for creating such havoc.”  
As the door swung shut, she was struck dumb. She stood staring in disbelief, angry tears dripping onto the floor at her feet, finally she hit the door with her fists and gave an almighty screech, hearing her mother's voice, loud in the common room and her father's in answer. They were shouting at each other, something she rarely heard them do, Sally and Helgi interjecting. Fen was crying. She could hear Chris trying to soothe him.  
“Now, now lad, let us go outside to the horses, I'll help you brush Lightning, leave the kiddies to their tantrum.”  
Brenna jumped onto her bed and covered her head with her pillow to drown out the voices which came to an abrupt end when she heard the front door slam hard enough to rattle the glass in the windows. The door to her parent's bedchamber slammed in response a moment later.  
She had finally had enough. If she had to see the sun rise on another day in this house, she felt she would lose her mind. 

 

The hard stone felt hot beneath her palms as she propped herself up, staring down a wide gray stone path. Had she fallen down? She didn't feel as if she'd hurt herself. Scanning her surroundings, she found herself facing a building the likes of which she'd never seen before. The little store front with its green and white striped canopy reminded her at first of the shops Chris had described to her when he spoke of his life on Midgard but there the similarity ended as her eyes soared upwards with the building into the sky until it seemed to disappear into the clouds. To the right of this building rose another and then another. In fact, as she stood up and brushed her hands together, she could see that the line of strange structures seemed to go on forever in both directions on both sides of a stone road.   
She stood there, her neck craned to the sky until she heard quite close in her left ear, “Excuse me.”   
She whirled about, startled as a woman wearing strange looking clothes sidled past on her way down the stone path. As she began to look around her, she could see other people dressed just as oddly, going and coming down the same path on either side of the road. A strange blat like that of a sounding horn assaulted her ears. She turned to the road and immediately began to back away toward the buildings.   
There were wheeled beasts rushing up and down the road, braying as they passed. She could see people riding inside of them, and she must have watched them stop and go for some time, letting their passengers out, picking up more riders. Ignoring the strange looks people were starting to give her, she returned her attention to the buildings, starting down the stone path, drifting along with the crowd. She glanced right and left at the buildings until one massive ornate structure loomed into view up ahead of her. Soaring arched windows flanked by marble columns rose up to support a massive roof upon which had been placed in the center, an immense statue of a naked winged man, standing atop a clock face, his arms outstretched. She could see strange writing at the front of the building but her angle was wrong and she started to back out into the road until she could read them.   
“Grand Central Terminal” was all she could manage to get out of her mouth before a loud honk made her scream. She stumbled sideways, losing her footing to sprawl onto the concrete. There came a loud screech and she was suddenly face to face with one of the metal beasts she'd seen traveling along the road. She felt an urgent need to loose her bladder when the beast's rider poked his head out of its side and yelled at her, “Get the fuck out of the way, ya dumb bitch!”   
She lurched to her hands and knees and began to crawl to the stone pathway as fast as she could, she had nearly made it to the edge when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up...

Her eyes snapped open and she felt momentarily disoriented until she realized she was in her bedchamber. When her father had sent her to her room, she had cried herself to sleep. Judging from the light coming in her window, she had slept away most of the morning. The house was quiet. She lay still then, thinking about her dream.   
From the strange landscape, she could only surmise it was Midgard. She remembered her mother talking of the place where her grandmother came from, describing the strange beasts Brenna had seen, the even stranger houses, but how could Brenna know what a place looked like if she had never been there before? She got up and opened her bedchamber door a crack to see Helgi asleep in her rocking chair, knitting in her lap. She shut her door softly, tiptoed to the front door and slipped outside.   
She heard the ring of a hammer striking metal, muted voices in friendly discourse, and it was towards them that she headed.

 

“Lad, come give your Uncle Chris a rest.”  
Fen had been watching his father pound a horseshoe into shape on the big pointed block he called an anvil and now he slid in front of Chris who was sitting on an old stump chair before the bellows. Taking the handles, he began to pump as hard as he could.   
“Easy boy, not so fast, you want a nice even fire...that's it.” Chris patted him on the back.

Brenna approached the little forge behind the horse stable watching her father scowl at the shoe held between his tongs.   
“I fear I shall never quite be good enough at this,” Loki muttered as he wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his tunic.   
“Why my boy, you do fine.”  
Loki shook his head, “The shoes are much too brittle or I would not need to replace them so often. Perhaps I keep the fire too hot.” He caught sight of Brenna then and gave her a nod.  
“I should speak with Vedic the next time I am in the village. He is the one who gave me the anvil to start off with,” Loki dipped the shoe in a bucket of water, watching it hiss, taking it back out.  
Chris tilted his head, “Whyever do you not simply buy them from him instead?”  
Loki pulled a glowing red shoe from the forge, “I desire to learn, Chris, to sustain myself and my family, just as I do with this farm. If the family need garments, we have three seamstresses under one roof, we grow our food, raise our livestock, make candles, render oil for the lanterns, put by for the cold months. We get roving from your little flock of sheep for yarn. We have all we need right here,” He waited, looking at Brenna.  
She very nearly felt like she was going to be sick but she managed the words. “I am sorry, Father.”  
He struck the shoe a few times, “For what?”  
“For being disrespectful.”  
He let the hammer sit on the anvil and sighed, “Bren, I know you feel as though you are put upon with all we ask of you here, the responsibilities you have. You think living in the palace would be easier, and you are right. There you would have no chores. You would have servants to do your bidding. You could spend your time as you wished but it would never be home to you. This is home,” He waved his hand about him, “Here with your family, the people who love you. Whether you believe it or not, there will come a day as there does with everyone, when this will be the only place you wish to be yet the one place just out of your reach.”  
She hovered at the edge of a response, the desire to tell him about her dream almost overwhelming until at last she decided to ask Chris, hoping that her father would hear and perhaps practice an answer.   
“Uncle Chris,” Brenna kept her eyes trained on her father, “I wonder if I might ask you about a dream I had.”  
Chris eyed her curiously, “You may ask child.”  
“You are from Midgard are you not?”  
She had turned her attention to Chris but heard the hammer fall silent.  
“I am, my dear.”  
“Well in my dream, I believe I was in Midgard. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. Building rising like castles into the sky. Rows of them.”  
Chris looked at Loki, “Go on.”  
“I was walking down a wide stone path and there were big metal....things on the road. They had people in them.”  
“It would appear you were seeing carriages. They were pulled by horses were they not?”  
“No!” she cried, “They moved on their own!”  
Loki had by then stuck another horseshoe in the fire, “It sounds quite fantastic, does it not? A pity it was but a dream.”  
“I saw a great building there with columns and tall windows. The front of the building had words on it. They said Grand Central Terminal.”  
She heard the hammer come down on the anvil, saw her father, his mouth agape, frozen.  
Chris shrugged, “A strange name for a place. Could it be a town do you think, Loki?”  
By the time she'd turned her attention back to her father, he had recovered as if she had said no more than “Hello”.  
“A town perhaps, nevertheless it lives only in her mind. I have dreamed of places that cannot exist. As, I am sure, have you, Chris.”  
“Indeed, Brenna, your father makes sense. “Twas just a dream.”  
“But Father, it seemed so real. I could almost believe that I had been there before.”  
“I know where you have been all your life and you most certainly have not been to this imaginary land you speak of.” Loki sighed, gesturing to Chris, “Help Fen with the bellows.”  
Brenna sat on the ground before Chris, feeling utter defeat weigh down on her, heavy as the buildings in her dream.   
“Child,” Chris made to move, “Take my seat.”  
She glanced once more at her father, wanting him to talk more about the dream but he obviously considered the matter closed.  
She shook her head, taking the bellows from Fen, “I am fine here.”   
Fen plopped down in her lap to watch the fire as it glowed bright. She was stuck, hopelessly so, in this village. What prospects would she have of finding a husband even if she'd cared to? Lars had been quite fetching but if he could see her now in a homemade dress with nothing but the family farm to claim, he would laugh at her. Nay, he would likely be insulted. The most she could hope for was to be betrothed to a village artisan or a shopkeeper. Maybe the son of a local potter or woodworker. More likely a farmer would be her lot. Her shoulders slumped a bit and she felt Fen's hand come up to pat her cheek. “Do not be sad, Bren,” he whispered, “It will be alright.”  
She put her chin atop his head, “I do not believe so”   
If she was to run away to Asgard, her father would only come and fetch her back home. Where else was there for her to go? She glanced at her father as he bent over to pick up another length of iron, his long hair tied at his back, hanging over his shoulder, the Uruz aglow in the afternoon sun dangling at his neck .   
All at once, the solution was there before her. She became so excited that she began to pump the bellows more vigorously, garnering the attention of her father.  
“Brenna, not so fast. You make the fire too hot.” She slowed her efforts though she was quivering with anticipation. The Uruz was the key. Father had said it was her birthright but being as it was a gateway and quite powerful in the bargain, she highly doubted he would simply give it to her, and he wore it all the time. If she had it, she could go anywhere in the nine realms she liked. They would never find her. Even if they managed to, she could simply give the medallion a turn and she would be gone. She had the solution to a life in captivity, now she needed to remedy the problem. How to get the Uruz from her father.


	9. 9

Dinner that evening was a quiet affair. Mother had come out of the bedchamber to join them but she looked uncomfortable, wincing at every move. More than that, she looked angry. Brenna would watch her father glance up at her mother every so often. At one point he gave her a tentative smile when their eyes chanced to meet and she glared at him at which point he swiftly returned his gaze to his plate. She would have felt sorry for him had she not been nearly as angry with him herself.  
Eidra caught Fen reaching for the bread basket, chiding him rather loudly, “Fen! Ask politely for a roll!”  
Fen put his hands in his lap and for a moment, Brenna thought he was going to cry. Even at seven seasons he was not immune to the present tension.   
“Well?” Eidra stared at him, “Would you like a roll?”  
He nodded, “Yes, please,” seeming to shrink lower into his chair.  
She held the basket out to him, he gingerly lifted a roll and whispered “Thank you.”  
Loki shoved his plate away then, stood up from the table and strode to the door, grabbing his cloak on the way out into the evening air. Brenna looked at her mother who was trembling as if she was about to leap from her chair, her mouth drawn up into a bow. Finally her face crumpled, she put her hand to her mouth, trying to contain herself but when Helgi put her arm about her shoulders, she began to cry.  
“There now, poppet. Take deep breaths, do not fret so. It is not good for the baby,” Helgi murmured as she rubbed her back.  
“He tries.....so hard...,” Eidra sobbed. “He worries...a..bout the baby, the farm.... the child..ren..”  
Helgi took Fen from his chair, guiding him to Brenna, “Take Fen and get him ready for bed.”  
“But why me?” Brenna whined as Helgi fixed her with a stare.  
“Because your mother needs some time alone without little ears. Now no more questions.”  
Brenna pushed away from the table mumbling, “So I am the babysitter once again.”  
When she headed for the bedchamber, Fen clung to her waist.   
“Will you let me walk, you little worm?” Brenna hissed, shoving him away but he merely reattached himself and she sighed, opening the door to his bedchamber where she extracted him from herself.  
“Go put on your nightclothes,”  
“You have to turn around.” Fen tried to pivot her towards the door.  
Brenna rolled her eyes, “I have changed your bottom more times than I care to count. I am going to my own bedchamber.”  
She started out the door but Fen whined, “Wait, stay here with me.”  
She rested her forehead on the door, her hand on the latch “I am tired and I wish to be alone.”  
“But I do not want to be alone. See, I am changed already. Come and sit on the bed.”  
She turned, dropping down upon his bed while he crawled up into her lap. “Why are Mama and Papa angry at each other?”  
She stiffened at first, then felt his arms slip about her neck and she started to rock him. “I do not know.”  
She suspected it was because of her. It gave her another good reason to leave the house, they wouldn't have her to argue about.   
“Do they still love each other?”  
Brenna gave a half smile, “Of course they do, you fool. Have they not argued in the past and yet they are still here, together?”  
Fen shrugged, curling his arms up to his chest, “Then if they love each other, why do they fight?”  
Brenna shifted his weight, clucked her tongue, “You are much too young to ken. Close your eyes and go to sleep.”  
She kept rocking Fen until she felt his body go limp and she lay him down, drawing the coverlet over him.  
When she returned to the common room, Helgi and her mother were gone, replaced by her father who sat in one of the rocking chairs, staring into the fire. Her movement caught his attention and he turned, regarded her, “Retiring for the night?”  
“Yes Father.”  
She was at her door when he sighed. She waited a minute longer but when he said nothing else, she continued on into her bedchamber and sat on her bed.  
She wanted to return to the common room, sit at his feet, put her head in his lap and tell him that everything would be alright but so sure was she of his rebuttal that the whole scene in her mind seemed merely a dream. He had always been aloof with her, awkward. Mama had once said that, being a man, he didn't know what to do with a daughter. She supposed it had been a miracle that he'd even taken the time to show her how to shoot the crossbow.  
When she had come to live in Rialo with Helgi, she had taken to Eidra immediately, quickly building a bond between them so strong it wouldn't have mattered had she never known Eidra was her mother, she had already thought of her as such. She often joked that she was lucky enough to have two mamas, Helgi and Eidra. When it came to her father however, that had been an altogether different case entirely.   
She well remembered the night, soon after she turned ten, when her life had changed so dramatically. While they were in town for the Jul celebrations, a villager had remarked how much she looked like Eidra. She had asked Helgi what the villager meant and so they had set down at the table, herself, her mother and father and Helgi, along with little Fen, not quite three seasons old. There, Helgi had told her the tale of how Eidra had given birth to her and sent her to Ren to be safe. Helgi had never said safe from what. Brenna was certain they had left large gaps in the story. She would ask her father from time to time to tell her what had really happened but he would say to her, “All you need to know is that we are here together now.”  
When Helgi had revealed Eidra was her mother, she had flung her arms about her, crying. When Helgi had gone on to tell her Loki was her father, however, she had quailed as he had stood looking at his boots, his hands behind his back. He had frightened her from the start, this only scared her more. She had taken a long time to warm to him though she did not believe he would ever warm to her in kind. The village boys she would play with, Sylvan and Moran, had told her tales about her father, monstrous stories they claimed to hear from their parents, though she'd not believed half of them.   
Judging by his devotion to mother, there could be little truth to their gossip. In fact his love for Mama was what kept her from thinking him cold and unfeeling. He could always be found holding mother's hand, or stroking her face, kissing her, smiling at her, anything he could do to touch her or comfort her and this every day. What she had witnessed tonight, her mother crying because of her father for the first time in recent memory, made her more certain of her plan. Removing herself from the household would put an end to their arguing. She kept telling herself thus as she slid her hand into the notions basket beside her bed, taking out her sharp iron shears and lay down to wait as the household settled in for the evening

Eidra heard the bedroom door open, keeping her eyes shut until she felt the bed sink beside her. She opened them to watch Loki remove his boots, shoving them under the bed. Then he stood, walked over to the wardrobe and took out a long robe, laying it on the chair before her dressing table. The dim light bathed his features in a warm glow, softening them as he stripped down and she smiled, feeling the familiar tingle across her skin as she beheld the form of the man she loved.   
He was still beautiful, the years of working the land, keeping the farm, chiseling his body further. He tugged at the leather thong holding his hair into a ponytail letting his ebony tresses fan out over his back. She caught a glimpse of the Uruz at his chest before he slid the robe over his head, returning to the bed where he stood, staring down at her. She lifted the coverlet as he slid beside her. Gathering him to her, she caressed his face, felt the wetness at her fingertips. She could smell the mulled wine he had been drinking as he grabbed her shoulder, pulling her closer and she leaned in to kiss him. Ginger, cinnamon, the sweetness of honey, played across her tongue as she probed ever deeper, letting the sensation transport her, his hand at her neck, sliding to her chin until his emotions overflowed and he sobbed against her mouth.   
“I am sorry, so sorry,” He curled his hand around hers, pressing it to his chest.  
“My prince, it is I who should be sorry. I have been on edge with the baby. I should not have been so sore with you for taking Brenna to task.”  
He shook his head hard, kissed her hand, holding it to his lips. “I fear that I am destined to follow in Odin's footsteps. I have never known what to say to her. I have always felt when she says she hates me, she speaks the truth.”  
Eidra clucked her tongue, “Loki, you are her father, she loves you. How could you think otherwise?”   
He took a deep shuddering breath, “I have borne so much guilt, sharper than any knife, for missing the first years of her life. I could have raised her. I could have been a true father to her had I allowed myself to see what Helgi was trying to show me so many years ago. Why would she not hate me when I have been the cause of her grief since she was born?”  
Eidra took his face in her hands, “Do not say that ever again, Our road may have been long and hard but we are here, now because of love. That was what brought her into this world, not grief, not hate....love.”  
“What I would give to have the strength to talk to her openly, honestly but I fear the slightest word out of place, the wrong gesture would only deepen her resentment of me. I would give anything to hear her just once call me Papa, to say “I love you” as she does to you each night.”  
Watching his obvious distress, his agony of will was far worse than any injury for the pain it was causing her. She pulled him in closer, felt his arm wrap around her back as he clung to her.  
“Then you must make it happen. On the morrow, take her to work the fields with you. Talk to her while you are there.”  
“How?” He moaned, “What should I say?”  
“Say what comes first to your mind. Talk to her knowing she too must make accessions for neither is she always right. You must come to terms together.”  
She could feel his body beginning to relax, “..will try with all my heart.”  
She pressed her lips to his forehead, stroking her thumb along his temple as he finally closed his eyes. She would have to change positions eventually as she felt the baby kick and push against the intrusion of space but for now she kept him close and safe in her arms as she joined him in sleep.

 

Brenna started awake, rubbing her face as she looked out the window. It was still dark. She was immediately angry with herself for falling asleep. She jumped from her bed, lighting her oil lamp, pulling a rucksack from beneath her bed and laying it on the coverlet. She trotted to her small wardrobe. She had decided she would only take a few of her dresses, needing room in her pack for other things like her sewing kit, knitting needles and some yarn as he planned on procuring work when she got to wherever she was going . She folded the dresses, stuffing them inside the pack. She could trade work for food like some of the poorer families in the village did though she planned to take some coin of the realm with her for a start. After a few more minutes, she hefted her pack, now full, up to her shoulder, creaked open her bedchamber door and peered into the common room. All was quiet, the barest glow from the banked fire casting a dim red light into the room. She set her pack near the door, and slipped her boots on. Fingering the shears in her right pocket with trembling fingers, she pushed open the door to her parents room ever so slowly and crouched down, crawling to the side of their bed.   
She had left the lamp on the floor just outside the doorway, her mother had been a notoriously light sleeper as of late and she feared even the glow from the lamp would rouse her. Her father lay curled around her mother, facing away from the room. Her heart thundering in her chest, she stood up and leaned over him. Peering down between them, she spied the faint glow of the Uruz nestled against his forearm, the leather thong laying about his neck. Taking a deep breath, she searched for a spot along the cord where it lay farthest from his skin, reached down until she felt the cord between her fingers and slid from her pocket. She could barely keep her hand still as she slipped the blades over the leather cord, closed her eyes and the shears and felt the ends part.  
Her mother stirred then, backing against her father, tugging the blankets tighter around them. She felt her stomach churn as she froze, waiting for his eyes to open and see her suspended above them but he stayed still and after a moment, she dropped the shears into her dress pocket. Cutting the cord had been the easy part, removing the necklace would be a test of will. She started to pull the cord, her progress agonizingly slow but she feared that if she went much faster, he would feel the tug and wake up. Her legs were aching with the strain of staying so still and her hand was starting to shake with the effort but all at once she was watching the Uruz rise into the air with the leather thong. It was free of his neck.  
She dropped it in her palm and clutched it tightly, backing from the room as swiftly as possible, nearly knocking over the lamp in the doorway as she shut the door whisper quiet. She stuffed the Uruz in her pocket and was about to grab her cloak when she heard behind her a small voice, “Bren?”  
She whirled around, hand to her chest, choking back a scream to see Fen standing in the common room, rubbing his eyes. “What are you doing out of bed?”  
Fen shrugged, “I heard a door open. Why are you up?”  
Brenna walked over to him, “I could not sleep so I thought I would start chores early. Go back to bed.”  
She had inserted herself between him and her pack, hoping he wouldn't see it at the door. He stumbled over to her and leaned against her stomach, “Tuck me in.”  
She rolled her eyes but considering that it would likely be a long time before she saw him again, she put her hand at his back and guided him through the doorway of his bedchamber, over to his bed. He crawled beneath the covers and she smoothed the coverlet over him. “Now go back to sleep.”  
“Mmph, night.”  
“Night, little brother.” She thought to add, I love you, but in the end kept it to herself as she closed the door behind her.

She ran around the perimeter of the cottage to the horse barn holding the Uruz. The horizon had started to lighten. Soon her father would be up to milk the cows. She set the pack on the ground and fished the Uruz out of her pocket. Her hands had started to tremble again and she realized she was well and truly terrified. She started to waver, looking at the Uruz hanging by its snipped leather thong then thought to herself how angry her father would be when he saw what she had done. He treated the medallion with something nearing reverence, telling her that mother had given it to him on a very important occasion. When her mother had shown her one day last summer, what the Uruz did, she had been fascinated by the possibility of such travels. Now fascination was being quickly replaced by abject fear.   
She glanced towards the house again, then held up the Uruz. What if her father told the truth, that the place she'd seen in her dreams really didn't exist? She put the medallion between her thumb and forefinger and in a tremulous voice, said, “Midgard, Grand Central Terminal.”   
The Uruz shimmered, thinned, the pale rainbows within fading until the disc was transparent though she could feel the edges of it at her fingertips. Before her, displacing the view of the large white barn and the horse stables, a hole was forming, widening further and further until it was big enough to step through on a horse. For a brief moment she considered fetching Blackberry but decided against it, father would need her for the plowing. She stared through the hole. It was nighttime on Midgard as well. The light of what seemed like hundreds, thousands of lamps glowing, illuminating the same stone path she'd seen in her dream. Looming overhead to the left of the portal was the immense building with the columns, and the statue, the carved words, “Grand Central Terminal.” standing out in relief upon it. Her dream was real. She picked up her pack and with a final glance back at the cottage, stepped through.


	10. 10

Loki had been about to rise from bed to start the day's chores but when he planted a kiss on Eidra's shoulder and she purred in response, her reaction stirred the fire within his loins. He arched against her, eliciting a groan in return.   
“Loki...too early..”  
He smiled, brushing the nape of her neck with his lips.   
“Gods!” she gasped, “Go away, you shall not tempt me.”  
He swung his legs out over the floor, felt her turn over to face him.  
“You did not try very hard.” She reached between his legs, taking him in hand but he laughed and pushed her away.  
“You had your chance. I need to relieve myself and get to the cows. At the very least, they are grateful for my hands upon their teats early in the morning.”  
She gave him a playful shove, “Dog!....though I daresay they will not treat you as well in return.” She watched him dress in the faint light pouring through the window, “I will get up and stoke the fire soon.”  
He pulled his tunic over his head, “Let Helgi or Brenna do it. How do you fair today. Is the baby moving well?”  
She rubbed her belly, “It was moving quite well last evening. Now it sleeps, methinks this is going to be the norm when it is born. We shall be up all night.”  
“We?” He sat on the edge of the bed to draw on his boots,   
“Yes we.” She nudged him with her foot, “Do you recall when we would take turns with Fen?”  
Loki nodded as he stood up, “Oh yes, he would not sleep through the night until nearly half a season had passed,” He paused at the bedchamber doorway, “I will return soon. When you rise, wake Brenna, so that she is ready to come to the fields with me after the morning meal.”  
She nodded, closed her eyes, “Such a good man you are, my heart. I will rise soon. I just need a few more minutes,” and was asleep before he reached the front door of the cottage.

 

Brenna had been standing, staring through the windows lined up along the sidewalk for quite some time, the sounds of the street behind her, the honking horns of the metal beasts, the cries of the vendors selling roasted nuts from their pushcarts, the loud laughter, conversation fading into the background. When she'd come upon the brightly lit glass she'd been fascinated by the headless statues in various stages of undress, beckoning her inside with their frozen white hands. They reminded her of the stuffed dress form her mother used at home. As she moved to the next window, she overheard a discussion between two women a short distance from her.   
“I am buying that dress this week come hell or high water!” remarked one of the women, a short blond in strange blue breeches and a tight shirt.  
“I'm sorry but if you pay that price for something you're going to wear once, you're an idiot!” her friend replied as they wandered away. Brenna looked above her once again. She had nearly reached the bridge. It looked as though it disappeared right into the building called Grand Central Terminal. The windows forgotten, Brenna turned about, observing the endless stream of people passing toand fro before her. One group a set of five teens, walked under the large bridge and through a set of glass doors to their left, one of them eying her as she stood off to the side, laughing to the others, “It's not ComicCon yet is it?” before the door shut, drowning out their conversation.  
She edged closer, watching more people enter the building until finally she stood before one of the glass panels looking through into the interior.   
“Ya gonna just stand there Red Riding Hood, or are ya gonna open the damn door?”  
The voice startled her so badly that she spun aroundstumbling backwards through the door. The man who had spoken to her, a handsome blond in strange clothes carrying a square case by a handle, sidled past her with a grunt, “Freak.”  
She had re-tied the Uruz around her neck after she'd stepped through the portal and now she fingered it, nervous. This place was stranger, more hostile than she'd imagined in her dream. She was on the verge of stepping outside and calling the portal to return home when she pivoted around to see where the rude man had gone and her eyes met with a wondrous sight. A grand double staircase led down to the floor of a cavernous room. Even the Great Hall in the palace seemed small by comparison. The floors, stairs, walls looked to be made of marble. The ceiling far above was robed in teal with lights sparkling in the firmament. Along both sides of the room were tall square stone columns framing great round chandeliers which hung from the ceiling. What a terrible chore it must be to light each one every day. On the floor below, people were walking to and fro, some hurriedly, others sitting on their cases, on the marble stairs, still more at small windows mirroring the massive arched ones dominating the far wall. The sunlight streaming through them, illuminated a small building with a golden clock atop it in the center of the concourse.   
A voice from out of nowhere, announced, “METRO NORTH TRAIN NUMBER....” before the rest of the words were swallowed up by the din of the crowd. She saw people break away from the general crowd and start toward a tunnel that seemed to lead underneath the building. Could they be looking for the person who had just spoken out of the sky? She started down the steps to the floor below, in awe, listening, looking.  
People swirled around her as they hurried along their intended routes. A mother and her two children, swinging their arms together and singing. A young man and woman running toward the stairs shouting at each other.   
“Excuse me,” she heard in her ear, stumbling backwards as a dark man in a long coat rushed past her.  
“Dark Elves?” she whispered, “Here?” As she looked closer at the spinning vortex of bodies around her, she noticed more dark skinned beings, female as well as male. No one seemed to be paying them much attention. Maybe they had learned to live amicably with the Midgardians. The sky outside the windows had begun to brighten. She would have to find somewhere to stay, maybe an inn or a tavern like Kern's in Rialo. The question would be where, in this large village, she would go to find such places. 

 

Chase was sitting along the concourse near the escalators, his back to the wall as he texted Brian he would be back to the school by noon. He glanced up at the clock atop the kiosk. It was heading towards rush hour. Maybe he would make it to the school a bit later. He had returned his attention to his phone when a yell of “Hey! Jesus!” made him look up again.   
A young girl stood there with her hands to her mouth while before her a woman lay sprawled on the floor holding her ankle. The girl had on a long green dress with a high bodice and a long red cloak. Over her shoulder was slung a large brown pack.  
“Must be a Renfair somewhere today,” he muttered to himself as he watched the action unfold feet away from him. 

“I am so sorry,” Brenna gasped, “Are you hurt?.”  
“I think I twisted my fucking ankle, damnit,” the woman grimaced, holding her ankle, “You should watch where you're swinging that pack!”  
Brenna gawked at her, momentarily stunned, “You are dressed like a man.”  
The woman, a pretty brunette in a gray tailored suit scowled up at her, “Hey, fuck you! You look like you just walked out of the woods on your way to grandma's house!”  
“Is everything okay?” A middle-aged gentleman had approached them and now was squatting down beside the woman.  
“My ankle is fucked up, I am most certainly not okay! Just go get help, get the security guards or something.”  
As the man stood, staring about the concourse, Brenna offered her hand to the woman but she slapped it away, “You expect me to just leap up and dance a jig, Christ..!”  
The older gentleman put a hand out to the woman, “I see a cop. I'll be right back.”   
As he moved off to fetch the officer, Brenna knelt down and put her pack on the floor.  
“I can help you if you let me.”   
“You helped enough, thank you,” The brunette moaned as she tested her ankle again, removing her high heeled shoe.   
“Please,” Brenna said, “It is the least I can do.” Before the woman could protest, she reached out and put her hands on the girl's ankle.  
“Take your hand off me or I'm gonna.....scream...” Seconds ticked by, turning to minutes. The brunette's jaw dropped open as Brenna took her hands away from her ankle.   
“What the hell did you just do?”  
“I healed you. There was a sprain and a small fracture as well. Those shoes are much too dangerous to wear...” Brenna smiled at her.  
“You're one of those freaks aren't you? You're a mutant!”   
Brenna stood, shocked at the girl's vehement response. The woman scrambled to her feet, grabbing her shoe, slipping it on as she skittered away from her.   
“I do not ken your meaning. My name is Brenna. I am new to Midgard. I need to find a place to stay. Do you know anywhere I could go?”  
“How about to hell? Go look through the phone book, freak.” The brunette snatched her case from the floor and trotted away toward one of the tunnels, looking at her wrist,“Fuck! I'm late!”  
Brenna watched her go, flabbergasted. What had she done wrong?  
She felt a touch on her arm and in a panic, swung her fist backward, connecting with something hard and soft at the same time.   
“Whoa, hold on! I just wanted to tell you that you ought to keep a better watch on your stuff here.”   
Before her stood a tall boy with short brown hair, thin like her father but built, as if he were training to be a warrior, or a wrestler. He had green eyes and a smile that lit his open, friendly face. She realized at once she had hit him in the chest.   
“Oh I am so sorry. Did I hurt you?”  
The boy laughed aloud, “You? Naw, it takes a lot more than a good poke to hurt me.”  
Brenna smiled, “Are all Midgardians as unpleasant as she?”  
“Midgardians?”  
“Yes, are they all so...”  
“Okay, wait a minute, what are Midgardians?”  
“People of this realm?” Brenna put her hands on her hips, tilting her head, narrowing her pale blue eyes at him.  
“Well that's a new one on me. You heading to a Renaissance fair today?”  
“A....what fair?”  
Chase scanned the crowd. He'd been keeping an eye on the gentleman who had left to find help for the injured woman. Now he saw him talking to a cop midway up the stairs, pointing toward the two of them.  
“A Ren fair. You know, medieval stuff. Knights, lords and ladies, eating with your hands, jousting....no?  
“I go to no fairs today, I would not know where to find the first one.”  
Chase looked at his phone again, saw her staring at it. “A smart phone. It's new, I'm learning it slowly but surely.”  
“A what?” Brenna's response was deadpan and Chase stared at her.   
“Let me guess, you're from one of those cults that don't believe in technology.”  
“I am from Asgard...what is..?”  
Another announcement from the voice in the sky made her look up to the ceiling as Chase shoved his phone in the pocket of his jeans, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the stairs, “Oh hey I'm going to miss my train. You might want to take off too. I think that cop is on his way over to see you.”  
He picked up his backpack, about to say it was nice talking to her when he saw her staring up at the ceiling, looking lost and he was reminded of the statue of the Blessed Mother that Mister Wagner had in his classroom at the school.   
“Um, I gotta go.” Chase held out his hand as she brought her head down, saw his hand extended. She held hers out in turn and he shook it. “Don't forget, keep that pack close.”  
She gave him a shy grin then and that was all it took. He knew he was going to have to find out more about her.   
“What are you in New York for? I mean are you meeting someone here? Because, you know, those con artists out there, they eat people like you for lunch,” he chuckled at her expression of horror, “I don't mean literally, gee.”  
“I thought this place was called Grand Central Terminal?”  
As luck would have it, two women had stopped the cop halfway across the concourse and were now standing in front of him, engaged in a shouting match. Chase took the opportunity to guide Brenna around the other side of the central kiosk, putting the building between them and the cop.  
“This is Grand Central, yeah but it's in the city of New York,” Chase glanced up at the clock atop the kiosk yet again. The train was definitely gone by now.  
“New York City....”   
Chase bit his lip and nodded, “Where did you think you were?”  
When she started to say “Grand Central Terminal” he said it right along with her and she stared at him.  
“So you're not meeting anyone here and you just bought a ticket to the Big Apple on a whim? Straight from hicksville?”  
“No, from Rialo.” Brenna clasped her hands in front of her, “I hail from the village of Rialo and I did not buy a ticket from anyone.” She tilted her head, “Should I have?”  
Chase ran a hand through his hair, “I'll bet you didn't drive here.”  
She shook her head, “Drive?”.  
“And you aren't meeting anyone. Where are you headed?”  
“I am not sure. I do not know anyone in this place you call New York. I am looking for a place to stay.”  
Chase took out his phone again and sent a text to Brian “I'm going to be a little late, something came up.”  
“I'm going to Westchester on the next train and I would hate to think I'd left you here alone to get taken advantage of. If you want to come with me, I can find you a place to stay.”  
Brenna smiled, clasping her hands to her chest, tears of relief in her eyes, “Oh I would greatly appreciate it, thank you so much.”  
“By the way, I'm Chase Wells, what's your name?”  
“Brenna.”  
“Well Brenna, welcome to New York. Let's get you a ticket for the next train before we miss it.”

 

Eidra heard Helgi and Fen moving about in the kitchen. She pushed herself to her side and sat up, grimacing at the pain in her back and her hips. Even putting on her dress was a chore but she refused to call for Helgi. When Fen saw her emerge from the bedchamber and ran toward her she held out her hand to stop him.   
“Gently Fen, do not hurt Mama.” Helgi called to him.  
He skidded to a halt and proceeded on tiptoe making her giggle. She bent over, giving him a lingering kiss atop his head then she headed for Brenna's bedchamber.  
“She is not there.” Helgi said, “She must have gone with her father.”  
Eidra stopped, “Well then that is one chore done. What can I help you with, Helgi?” she sat down at the table with a groan.  
“You may help me by staying out of the way,” Helgi turned to Fen, “I have this little pest to assist me.”  
Eidra sighed, pulling her knitting basket from beneath the table and taking out her current project, “I am not an invalid, Helgi. Is there nothing I can do?”  
Helgi swung the kettle over the fire, “Yes, knit.”  
It was the only thing Helgi would allow her to do as of late. As Helgi shuffled to the hutch to fetch a wooden spoon, Eidra stuck her tongue out and Fen snickered. Eidra smiled at him enjoying the warmth of a shared joke.   
Loki pulled the door open, holding it with one foot as he bent over and picked up the two milk pails which he swung inside the door. Eidra looked up from her knitting.   
“Where is Brenna?”  
Loki put the pails on the table, “Is she not here?”  
“No, Helgi said she was not in her room.”  
Loki strode to her door and flung it wide. “Bren?”  
Eidra clucked her tongue and pushed herself out of her chair, “Well have you checked the stables?”  
“I have just come from the stables, she was not there.”   
Eidra crossed her arms over her stomach, “Perhaps she was still upset about yesterday. Is it possible she walked to Chris and Sally's again? It would not be the first time.”  
“I fervently hope not. It is far too early in the morning to be bothering them. I will call on them and check.”  
He started for the door but Eidra took his arm, “Do not yell at her. You promised you would try to talk with her, remember?”  
“I will do my best, Eidra, but it rankles me when she runs off, you know this.”  
She searched his face, gauging his mood, “As it does me, however, just fetch her home first. If you upbraid her for her actions then, she will only argue with you and dig in her heels.”  
“I know,” he muttered, “I shall be back soon. Save the morning meal for us.”

 

Brenna stared down the dark tunnel back and forth. “And you say this train will follow those metal tracks?”  
Chase nodded, “So tell me again where you're from?”  
Brenna kept peering down below the platform to the rails, “Rialo.”  
“Is that in New York?”  
Brenna shook her head, “It is in Asgard.”  
“Never heard of it. Where is it, in Amish country or something? I mean judging by that old fashioned dress you're wearing, I was gonna guess you were a Mennonite or something.”  
Brenna gazed about the platform as more people started walking down the ramp from the concourse to wait for the train. “I am not from Amish or Mennonite. I do not know those villages. I am not from this realm.”  
“Realm?” Chase was starting to get a bit concerned, wondering if he'd come across an escapee from the nearest asylum...or if it was just New York's penchant for attracting the weirdos of the world. Her one saving grace was what she had done for the woman in the main terminal. Barring that, he would have long ago slipped away into the morning rush.  
“A realm....a world, a kingdom? Like Alfheim. My mother is from there.”  
“I know what realm means. I've played Magic before..”   
A rush of air from the tunnel and a rumble that increased in decibel signified the approach of the train and he took her by the arm, “You might want to step back, they get close to the platform.”  
Seconds later, the train emerged slowly from the black of the tunnel rolling slowly alongside the platform until it ground to a halt with an ear tearing shriek from the brakes.  
A minute later, the lights alongside the doors turned green as they slid open.  
“Come on.....Brenna?” Chase turned to see Brenna staring wide eyed at the train, rooted to the platform, shaking her head. “Come on, this is our train.” He grabbed her hand, picking up her pack for her but she dug in her heels.  
“What in Odin's beard is that?”  
“A train? You aren't serious are you?”   
People were filing into the cars.  
“What did you do? Walk here? Listen, I gotta take this train to get home. Now I don't want to leave you here in the city. I mean you look like you're as lost as you can get so the choice is yours. You can either trust me and board the train or you're going to be standing here alone...”  
Brenna stared through the windows of the cars. People were taking their seats, shoving packages over their heads onto a shelf. Then she looked up the platform at the crowds milling about. The cop who had been on his way to talk to them in the concourse walked past the tunnel entrance, glancing down at the train. Finally, she took a deep breath and let Chase lead her onto one of the cars moments before the doors closed. Most of the seats had been filled so they were left to take one of the end spots near the doors. As the train started to roll forward, she screeched, taking his arm and holding on as if her life depended on it  
Chase caught an old couple sitting across from them, staring at her and he nodded, “First time in New York.”  
At the next stop, he had to hold Brenna's arm to stop her from dashing out of the car. He was concerned and maybe a bit nervous. Even if she was beautiful, she was certainly crazy and crazy was hard to overlook. Then he saw her look of absolute terror.  
“Hey, there's nothing to be scared of, okay? I'll take care of you.”  
She gave a nod but her eyes were still wide. To distract her from the starts and stops, he kept talking to her.   
“So that was an interesting trick you pulled at the terminal.”  
“Trick? I played no tricks,” she paused, “Oh, you mean the woman who twisted her ankle?”  
“Yeah, the rude chick.”  
“Chick.”  
“Girl, never mind, go on.”  
Brenna put her hands up before her, “I have always been able to heal things, people. I do not know where I received my gift but I suspect it is from my mother.”  
“Actually it's more likely from your father. At least from what we've learned. The genetics for mutation often come from the paternal line. So you're a mutant?”  
“What is a mutant?” Brenna looked out the windows beside them, watching the lights of houses whiz past in the darkness.  
“A mutant is someone who isn't like everyone else. They have these unexplained powers that they were born with or acquired somehow. A genetic mutation.”  
“I was born with this power I think, but I was never called a mutant. My father is a mage.”  
Chase knew the word, “A magician?”  
Brenna wrinkled her nose, “No that does not sound right. He knows spell magic.”  
Chase laughed, “What is he some kind of warlock?”  
“What is a warlock?”  
“A male witch.”  
Brenna returned her attention to the window, “Does a male witch do spell magic?”  
Chase took his phone out of his pocket, “Well they sure try.”  
“Then he is a warlock.”  
Yup, she was crazy.  
He touched the screen of his phone, “Brian is already in Brewster waiting for us.”  
She looked up at him as he gave her a lopsided smile which she returned, “Who is Brian?”  
“He's a friend of mine at the school.”  
She leaned over and looked at the screen, “And you know where your friend is because of this little box?”  
“Yeah. I send him a message, he sends me a message back.”  
“Without the aid of a courier?”  
Chase touched the screen and a picture of himself standing beside a man with long blond hair and sunglasses appeared. She reached out a tentative finger and he pushed the screen towards her, “It won't bite you. I promise.”  
She touched her finger to the screen and the picture changed to a large mansion with a circular road in front of it.   
“What do you call this magic?” She touched the screen again and the picture changed to Brian holding a light haired puppy.  
“Technology.”  
“That word again, technology. I will have to learn it.” She touched the screen and a picture of Chase cheek to cheek with a pretty blond appeared.   
“Who is that?” Brenna pointed to the picture and Chase quickly touched the screen again, “Ah old girlfriend, I really should get rid of that pic.”  
She returned her attention to the windows for a moment, then started to scan the car, taking note of the people riding it. “Why do some of the women dress like men?”  
Chase put his head closer to hers as he saw a couple of tough looking teenaged girls stare in their direction.  
“Maybe you might want to whisper next time. That's normal around here. Girls wear dresses on special occasions but that's about it. Unless they work in an office, then they always dress up.”  
Brenna wrinkled her nose, “We might don breeches to help work the field so we do not ruin our best garments but we are most always in dresses.”  
“You really aren't from around here are you.”  
“No,”  
Chase glanced out the windows into the darkness, “This is going to be a long day.”


	11. 11

Sally heard the hoof beats outside in the yard and she had the door open before Loki could knock.   
“What brings ye here so early?” she asked as he strode through the door, “Is Eidra well? 'Tis not the baby is it?”  
“No,” Loki scanned the cottage as Chris struggled from his chair at the table. “Lad you look frantic. What troubles you?”  
Loki turned to Sally, “Is Brenna here?”  
The baffled look on Sally's face gave Loki the answer to his question.  
“Brenna? We haven't seen her since we were at yer house the other day. She isn't home?”  
Loki's ire was increasing, “She is not. I asked Eidra to rouse her this morning but when   
she checked her chambers, Brenna was not there.”  
Chris lay a hand on Loki's arm, “Where do you think she could be?”  
“Have ye checked in the village at Ren's?” Sally interjected, “Or the boys? She could be off somewhere with them.”  
Loki slapped his palm with his fist, “She will wish she had stayed to home ere I find her. She did not ask permission to leave nor did she tell anyone where she was going.” Such a look of pure frustration and worry came over him that Chris was compelled to sit him down and bolster him.  
“Rest, lad. Have a cuppa with us, she's likely out sulking somewhere in the woods.”  
Loki held his hand out, “Nevertheless, I must find her. I will have to decline,” Then he heaved a great sigh, “Tell me, old friend, has being a parent always been so difficult?”  
“For millenia, I'm afraid, and I've heard it gets no easier as they grow older.”  
He gave Chris a wry smile, “Your words of encouragement are greatly appreciated.”  
Chris shrugged, “It is what it is. Send word when you find her, will you, my boy?”  
“I will, If she comes here, send her home with all haste.”  
“You may be sure of it.”  
When the door had closed behind him, Chris looked to Sally. “My dear, are you of the same mind as I?”  
Sally was peering through the window by the door, watching Loki ride off. “It depends upon yer mind.”  
“I will bet my prize pig the lass has run off to the palace.”  
Sally returned to the fireplace to stir the small pan of potatoes and onions sitting on the spider. “If that be the case, I'd pad me behind well were I her.”

 

Loki spurred Blackberry on, his mind racing. Ren had not seen her not had Silvan or Moran. He was hoping that she would be home, sitting at the table with Eidra when he arrived. He had pondered the possibility that she had run away to the palace but it was almost unthinkable that she would defy him so boldly.  
When at last he dismounted in the dooryard, his heart sank for he knew as soon as he saw the door open and Eidra step out.   
“You did not find her?”   
He dropped the reins, “No and there can be but one explanation left as to where she has gone.”  
“Please do not say the palace.” Eidra closed her eyes and Loki realized she had been thinking the same as he.  
“Where else is there? She was not at Chris's or Ren's. The boys have not seen her.”  
“But the palace. Surely you cannot believe she would be so foolish when we told her it was out of the question? She is just a baby. The road to Asgard can be dangerous!” she put a hand to her chest.   
“She is far from a baby, Eidra. She took none of the horses so she must be on foot, she cannot have gotten far even if she started out last night. She might have made it to the village of Cole at best.” He stepped back from the cottage, “Odin help her when I find her. I shall set myself between Cole and Anmar and I will be waiting for her.”  
“What if she found a ride to the palace? Gods, with a stranger?”  
Loki took Blackberry's reins and mounted him, “Then I will fetch her there and bring her home.”  
“Loki, please have patience.”  
“I will try,” He reached inside his tunic to pull out the Uruz and Eidra watched the color drain from his face as he yanked his collar from his chest, looking down the front of him.  
“Eidra, tell me you have the Uruz.”   
Eidra sailed up to him and felt around his neck. “Why would I take it from you?” At once her hand flew to her mouth. “She would not dare..”  
Loki straight armed the cottage door, striding into the bedroom. Eidra trotted after him, her hands across her belly. She stood in the bedchamber doorway watching him throw the sheets and coverlets to the floor, shoving the pillows aside, slamming his fists on the mattress in frustration, “I hoped it had come undone from my neck last night..”  
“Oh Loki would she truly be so foolish?”  
He pushed past her through to the common room, grabbing his pack from the pegs and returning to their bedchamber, Helgi bringing up the rear as she stopped to stand beside Eidra.   
“What happened?”  
“I do not know, Helgi,” Eidra watched Loki open their wardrobe, take a tunic and a pair of breeches and stuff them inside the pack, “Loki what are you doing?”  
He retrieved his short sword hanging off the chair of the dressing table and started to strap it on, “I must go to Asgard. The Bifrost is the only option left to me.”  
Eidra took hold of his arm, “But if she used the Uruz to reach Asgard, you only need ride there.”  
“I do not believe she is in Asgard.” He pulled away from her, striding into the common room, his pack at his shoulder.   
“Where else would she possibly go? Alfheim? She knows no other place.”  
Loki stopped at the door and turned, taking her by the shoulders. “I should have talked to her sooner. She told Chris of a dream she had while visiting with us at the forge. I wished to keep things from her and thus did I deter her by insisting that it was merely a dream. She did not seem to believe me, therefore, if she be not at the palace, there is only one other place she could have gone.”  
He let her go and she followed him back outside into the dooryard.   
“What was the dream of?” Eidra cried.  
He was securing the pack on Blackberry.  
“Loki, what did she dream of?”  
“Midgard.”  
Suddenly there came a shout, “Loki!”   
He spun around to see Helgi with her hand at Eidra's elbow as she swayed on her feet. Loki rushed to catch her, helping her back inside to sit in the rocking chair by the fire.  
“How do you know she dreamed of Midgard?” Helgi whispered as she patted Eidra's hand.  
“Because I have seen the place she spoke of..,” Loki closed his eyes, “In a time when my life had no worth..”  
“My baby!” Eidra, put her hand to her mouth, “You do not believe she could have gone to that savage realm. She cannot, would not.”  
Loki knelt before her, taking her hands from her face,“I do not know but there are few options left in my mind. I will go to Asgard and ask Thor for help.”  
“What if he does not help you? What if he says that you should have listened to him in the first place? Loki I cannot bear to lose her....”  
“We will not lose her. He will listen, his heart is not so hard as it once was. Whether age or reason has done its chore, I do not know, but I promise I will bring her back.”   
He stood but Eidra was rising with him, “I am going with you.”  
“No, it is out of the question.” Loki put his hand up but she shoved it down, passing him to grab her cloak.  
“Helgi, take care of Fen will you?”   
Upon hearing his name, he poked his head out of his bedchamber, a wooden animal in his hand, his coverlet draped over his head like a shawl.   
“Mama, did you call me?”  
“No my darling, but never mind, come to me.”  
“Eidra...” Loki started but she glared at him.  
“Helgi is going to take care of you today. I have to go with your father,” She bent over to hug him and receive his kiss as he whined, “Can I go with you?”  
“No my sweet, this is a trip for grown ups. We are going to fetch your sister.”  
“Where did she go? She had her pack at the door last night when I woke up. I found her out here but she brought me back to bed.”  
Eidra glanced up at Loki, “Do not fret. We're going to fetch her and bring her home.”  
Fen spied Helgi's worried face and brought his hands to Eidra's cheeks, “Where is she?”  
“She is at the palace,” Eidra smiled, “She is fine, now we must go.”  
She kissed him once more, heard the door close and stood up.  
“Maybe Loki is right, poppet. You should stay here...,” Helgi began but Eidra was already rushing outside to spy Loki mounting Blackberry.  
“You will stay here with Fen,” He brought the horse about but she kept walking around the side of the house towards the stables.   
“Eidra!” He spurred Blackberry to a trot, “I forbid you to go!”  
“She is my daughter. I will go whether you allow it or not.”  
He steered the horse into her path but she sidestepped him, patting Blackberry's nose as she continued on.  
“It is not safe to ride when you are so far along Eidra. Do you not ken?”  
“I will take the wagon instead. Go on if you must, I will follow you.”  
“Damn you, woman.” Loki dismounted, dropping to the ground with a loud sigh, “You exasperate me to no end.”  
She hid her smug smile, trotting along behind him as he led Blackberry to the wagon beside the stables, “I do this under protest, you will take note.”  
“Duly noted.”

Loki strove to keep the horses in check. Eidra could see the intensity in his face, the anger in his eyes. Scenes she had thought long buried sprang to mind but she fought them down, clinging ever closer to him.  
“You should have stayed home.”  
“Well I am here now so that is enough of it” she felt him flex his arm, his whole body tense at her side.  
“Why did you feel the need to come with me?”  
She watched the scenery roll past, the cottages, manor houses, fields. “I have seen the look in your eyes before, I wanted to be there when you finally found her.”  
“What do you mean?” He stole a glance at her.  
“I wished to temper your reaction. I have seen your full fury. I would not have you show it to her.”   
“Eidra, do not remind me of so painful a time. My guilt for what I did to you will follow me to the end of my existence....” all at once, his mouth dropped open as the full import of her words hit him, “Surely you do not think I would ever hurt her....,” he paused as she squeezed his arm.  
“There is no need for your guilt. You have made amends a thousandfold, let the past be the past. I do not believe you will ever revisit such dark times again. I only ask that you hold your temper in check.”  
He looked down at his boots, “Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is oneself. I will do my best to govern my temper.” As they drew ever closer to the city, he kept hoping that they would find Brenna walking down the road. He had promised himself he would only chide her, endeavor to talk to her. His relief in finding her would be too great to do much else.

Brenna stood on the platform watching the train pull away on its continuing trek north. “For all the stops and starts, it truly is an ingenious way to travel.”  
Chase nodded as he whispered in a stunned Brian's ear then turned to her, “Yeah, it does the job, cheaper than a car too. So, uh, Brenna, this is Brian.”  
Brenna hesitantly offered her hand to Brian, surprised when instead of kissing it, he gripped it in a hearty handshake.“Are you...Svartalfari?”  
“Am I a smart what? Dawg what she talking about?”  
Brenna held Brian's hand, studying it while he stared at her.  
“Are you a dark elf?”  
Chase let out a giggle, his hand on Brian's shoulder as he stepped back, “Dark yeah. Elf, hell no! Ain't you ever seen a brother before?”  
Brenna tilted her head, “I have a brother. His name is Fen and he certainly does not look like you.”  
Brian eyed Chase who was doing his level best not to drop to the platform roaring with laughter.  
“You said you was going to the city to do some shopping. What store you go to? Nuts R' Us?”  
Chase bit his lip hard, “No....” and had to stop. He really didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings or worse scare her off, she'd surely get lost out here, “She's new to New York.”  
“New to the planet more like it. You ready then? I can't wait to see what the boss lady gonna say 'bout her. You fixing to get your ass kicked.”  
Chase waved him off, “Trust me. She'll fit in at the school.”  
Brian looked again at her as she turned about, taking in her surroundings, “She one of us, huh? What's her special power? Confusin' people to death? Hey space cadet!”   
Brenna turned to look at them, “Are you speaking to me?”  
“DeNiro you ain't, yeah I'm talking to you. Come on, the B-train is leaving the station.”  
She scanned the tracks “I see no other trains.”  
Brian rolled his eyes as Chase picked up her pack, “He means we're leaving, won't you join us? He just says it a bit different.”  
Brenna smiled, “I do have a lot to learn. Forgive me, Brian. I will indeed join you, thank you.”  
Brian slapped his hand to his forehead as they walked past him towards the car. “What you got yourself into, dude?”


	12. 12

They crossed a small parking lot to a line of hedges where a dark blue Hyundai Accent was parked.  
“You have a horseless wagon?”  
Brian stroked the hood as he headed around to the driver's side of the car, “Oh it's got horses but they under the hood,” before he opened the door, he kissed the side mirror and whispered loudly, “Pay no attention, baby girl. She don't mean nothing by it.”  
He slid into the drivers seat as Chase opened the front passenger door for Brenna.   
“Go on, sit down. Brian don't bite either.”   
She bent over, peering inside the car at Brian who waggled his eyebrows and patted the passenger seat. She gave him a half smile, letting herself down to sit beside him. Chase climbed into the back seat, sat down and was about to shut the door when he saw she had not put her seat belt on. With Brian driving, he buckled up even when he sat in the back.  
“Brenna you might want to buckle your seat belt.”   
When she turned to him with that blank look he was getting used to, he got out of the car again and leaned in her door.   
“Here, let me......here,” he picked up her hand and put it on the belt clip at her right shoulder. “Now pull that out.”  
She did so, until it was straight out from the seat.   
“Okay now, cross it in front of you.”  
She made to comply but lost her grip, jumping as it sailed past her to its former position. By then, Brian had put his elbow on the steering wheel, chin resting on his fist as he watched them. Chase took the seat belt and handed it to her again. “Okay now hold it tight and do the same thing you did but hold onto it.”  
She pulled the belt around her but once again it slipped, this time catching her across the face and hooking her arm. All at once, Brian was grabbing the clip and shoving it into the lock.   
“Now get in the car.” He growled but Chase could hear the humor in his voice as he put the car in gear and backed out of the parking spot, heading towards the lot exit,“We gonna be late, 'sides Y'all look like damn Laurel and Hardy.” 

Chase kept his gaze on the back of Brian's head as he flew through traffic.   
“So what's your angle?” Brian nodded to Brenna.  
Chase chuckled as Brenna replied, “I am sitting upright. Is that what you wished to know?”  
“No slang, Bri, just try it.” Chase looked in the rearview mirror at Brian who drew himself up straight.  
“MmmMmm, whatever you say. Miss, what special abilities might you possess?”  
“Oh, I am a healer. I can heal anything I touch, animate or inanimate. Once I was climbing a tree with my brother, Fen. He ventured out too far on one of the limbs and it began to crack but I grabbed the limb and healed it until he could return to the trunk safely. We were far enough from the ground that had he fallen, he surely would have broken his leg,” she paused, “But I would have healed that also.”  
“Yeah,” Chase piped up, “I saw her in action in Grand Central. This rude chick twisted her ankle and Brenna touched it. It was good as new but the bitch didn't even thank her, called her a freak. You know the routine.”  
Brian smiled, “Id'a rebroke it for her,” He slowed to a stop at a red light and glanced at her. “So you looking to be a student at the school?”  
“A student? Like an apprenticeship?”  
Brian looked back at Chase, “It ain't no trade school. It like a regular P.S. where you learn reading, writing, figuring plus a whole shitload a other stuff. Ain't you ever been to school?”  
She shook her head, “I learned to read and write and do figures from my mother and father. I did not attend the universities in the city.”  
“So you home schooled. That's cool. So what you heading to school for now?”  
She stared out the window as they passed a large car carrier, “I was not looking to enroll, I was looking for a place to stay, a sanctuary. I ran away from my home,” She turned to Brian suddenly afraid he would pull over and tell her to get out of the car, “But I have skills, I can sew, knit, cook, clean, tend children, milk, garden. I would make myself valuable in exchange for room and board.”  
“I don't think it's going to be as rough as that,” Chase leaned forward, “You qualify for inclusion into the school because you're one of us.”  
“Who is us?” Brenna craned her neck around to look at Chase.  
“Mutants.”  
Brenna frowned. “The lady at the terminal called me a mutant.”  
Chase shook his head, “They make it sound like a bad thing but it isn't.”  
“Naw, they just jealous because we fancy and they ain't,” Brian mimed slicking his hair back, “We gots runaways at the school just like you. Miss Munroe, she like to do things by the book most times but its case by case. You tell 'em your story, they decide whether to call the Feds on you.”  
“We all have skills,” Chase added, Me, I can slow time down. I can control the extent of the effect to a certain degree so anyone beside me wouldn't be affected, or I can exclude those around me so I'm the only one able to function. Watch,” Chase closed his eyes and then opened them. Brenna looked outside the car window to see the traffic halted, their own car included. In one of the cars passing them by, a woman was frozen, a bottle of water poised to drink, the water halfway out to her mouth. In another she could see a young girl leaning on a steering wheel with a phone like Chase's and punching the keys. A bird was caught in mid-flight as it flew over the highway. Chase closed his eyes again and they were moving.  
“See? Brian here, he can manipulate atoms. He can turn something solid into liquid, gas into a solid, I think it has to do with changing the vibrations of the atoms. The power is in his hands though. He has to touch the object.”  
“How do you do it?” Brenna asked, staring at her own hands.  
“I don't know how I do it I just does.”  
“And there are many other kids in the school with a wide range of powers'” Chase leaned forward between the seats, “Sophie can imagine objects into reality, all she has to do is think of it. Blain can move things without touching them...big things. I've seen him lift a bus before...Charlie can change his appearance to look like anyone....you gotta watch him, he's a big practical joker. Even the teachers there are special. The headmistress Miss Munroe, she can control the weather. Professor Wagner, him you gotta meet to believe.”  
They pulled off the highway just beyond a sign which said “Salem Center”. Brenna watched with fascination as they passed little houses, big houses, mansions, small shops, large stores.  
“There is so much to see in Midgard,” she murmured.  
“Midgard?”Brian mouthed to Chase who put a finger to his lips.  
“Yeah it's a big place.”  
“And these horseless wagons, they are much faster than our wagons at home.”  
Brian shook his head, “Ain't nobody called 'em horseless wagons in a hundred years or more. They called cars now.”  
“Cars,” Brenna tapped a finger to her temple, “I shall try to remember.”  
“You a special kind of strange ain't you? Feels like I done stepped into the Twilight zone.”   
They had been driving along a high stone wall for a couple minutes when finally they turned into a long drive, stopping at a large black iron gate suspended between two stone pillars topped by an iron arch which read “School for the Gifted” in silver scrolled letters. The gate swung open for the car and Brenna looked behind them through the back window to see it swing shut behind them.   
“If you watch,” Chase pointed out her window, “You'll see a mansion through the trees. That's Xavier's School.”  
She turned her head to see, through the trees, perched up on a hill, one of the biggest houses she had ever seen, save the palace. In fact, had she not been told, she would have believed it a castle. Tall, imposing, with many spires dotting the rooftops, a parapet, even what looked to be a watchtower in the center and by Brenna's estimation, hundreds of windows set into the vine covered sand colored outer walls. She could see a few people outside on the front lawn and they looked towards the car as it sped down the drive. They passed another right hand turn, continuing on until they came to a large building with large doors. Brian picked up a small object from his dashboard and pressed the button on it. One of the doors slid open and he drove inside.  
Chase jumped out of the car and opened the door for her, partly because he wanted to be a gentleman, mostly because she had no idea how to work the handle. “Now you follow us and we'll bring you to Miss Munroe, she'll take care of you.”  
She stared around the large garage at the myriad of vehicles, “What a strange place.”  
Brian laughed as they opened the door into the main mansion, “You ain't seen nothing yet.”

She followed Brian and Chase up a set of stairs to another door which opened into a wood paneled corridor. Along each side were arched doors of varying colors and styles. They had number plates on them and she tapped Chase on the back, “What do the numbers mean?”  
“Oh, they're dorm rooms. They number them to keep track of the residents.”   
The corridor widened out until they were in a larger room with hallways leading off it. A big set of double doors stood in the center arch. A plaque on the wall to the side of the door said, “HEADMISTRESS, ORORO MUNROE”  
“We'll take you in but then we gotta split. It's either that or extra homework,” Chase knocked on the door and heard a muffled voice.  
“Enter.”   
They walked into a room paneled with shelves filled with books, papers, folders, ledgers, dvds. Three tall multi-paned windows took up the wall behind a desk made of rich brown highly polished wood. What walls had been left uncovered by the absence of shelving, were done in a flocked yellow wallpaper. A tall pole lamp and two wing-backed easy chairs sat before a large fireplace on the far wall to the left of the desk. There were pictures hung about the room of men and women in varying styles of dress from vintage to modern day. The desk itself was covered with papers and a woman with medium brown skin and stark white hair pulled back into a chignon sat behind it. She had her elbow on the desk, head in her hand as she wrote something on one of the papers. As Brenna edged closer, she noticed an image of a bald man in a wheeled chair sitting on the desk.  
“Miss Munroe?” Chase said, his hands clasped before him.  
The woman looked up, “You were supposed to be back an hour ago.”  
“I know, I...well I got sidetracked....,” he gestured toward Brenna.  
The woman stood and came out from behind the desk, “Sidetracked by what?”  
“A dame,” Brian added cut short by the curt look she gave him, “Brian, you may be dismissed. Chase will be along in a minute.”  
“Yes Ma'am,” he nodded as he stumbled backwards out of the office and closed the door behind him.  
“Now Chase, please introduce your friend,” She smiled at Brenna who made an effort to return it in kind.  
“Uh, her name is Brenna. I met her at Grand Central,” Chase colored as he gazed at the floor.  
The woman held out her hand and Brenna took it, “I am pleased to meet you, Brenna. What brings you here to the school?”  
Brenna turned to Chase, then back to the woman, felt the words nearly catch in her throat, “I need a place to stay.”  
The woman sat back on the edge of her desk, “This is a school for people who are different from others, not a halfway house I'm afraid?”  
Chase made to speak up but Brenna was already in motion, pressing her hands together beneath her chin.  
“I can heal anything by touch,” she walked to the desk and took a piece of paper, tearing it in half. She then lay the halves side by side on the desk and drew her finger down the torn edge. Beneath her touch, the two halves of the paper rejoined themselves until the two pieces of paper were whole yet again.   
“Chase said I am a mutant.”   
He bit his lip. He could feel Miss Munroe's eyes boring into him. “I didn't mean it in a bad way. She's really new around town, and I mean really new.”  
“Thank you for bringing her to me, Chase, now you go ahead and catch up with Brian. I will talk to you later about this.”   
He glanced up at her, “Yes, Ma'am,” turning to go when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Brenna had his shirt in a death grip and was shaking her head.   
“It's alright Brenna, we're your friends here. No one is going to hurt you, I promise. You can see Chase later,” The woman put her hand on Brenna's arm and rubbed it reassuringly.  
Slowly Brenna let go of Chase's shirtsleeve as he gave her a small smile, “Hey, I'll see you later, Miss Munroe will take care of you.”  
He carried the pleading look in those blue eyes with him as he ran down the corridor to find Brian.

Brenna took a seat in one of the easy chairs before the fireplace. Ororo sat across from her with a clipboard at her arm.   
“Okay, lets start from the beginning. My name is Ororo Munroe, I'm headmistress of Charles Xavier's School for Gifted People. Do you have a last name, Brenna?”  
Brenna shook her head at first then something seemed to come to mind, “I am known by my father's lineage. My mother is Eidra of the House Denari.”   
Ororo mumbled as she wrote on her clipboard, “Mother, Eidra Denari.”  
“My father is Loki of the House of Odin, he is called Odinson. I am Brenna of the house of Loki, more formally, Lokadottir. Is this what you are looking for?”  
Ororo had stopped writing as soon as Brenna began to speak again. If the girl was who she said she was, Ororo was starting to think they had a problem on their hands.  
“Would you allow me to ask another professor to help me with this?” Ororo stood and headed to the desk.  
Brenna smiled, “Indeed.”  
Ororo held her phone against her shoulder as she scribbled something else on the clipboard, “Kurt...I need you in my office....now...yes now...give them some reading to do......trust me I need your help...okay?”  
She hung up the phone, aware that Brenna had been staring at her, “Is that a phone like Chase has?”  
“It's a phone, yes. While we're waiting for Professor Wagner, lets continue. Where are you from?”  
“The village of Rialo in Asgard,” she frowned, “It is so small I doubt you have heard of it.”  
Ororo tapped her pen on the paper, “I must confess I haven't. How old are you?”  
Brenna bit her lip, older was better and her birth day was almost here, “I am fifteen seasons.”  
“Seasons? Years you mean?” Ororo nodded, “Could you tell me why you come here?”  
Brenna clasped her hands together in her lap. She wished Chase was here to help her answer the questions. She wished she hadn't told the woman who she was. What if they had a way to tell her father where she was? He would be here to fetch her before she could find a way to evade him. She was tired, hungry, she had to relieve herself. She hoped fervently that she wouldn't trip herself up with such distractions. She thought again of what Chase had said. “I wish to be a student here.”  
“You said you were looking for a place to stay. Your parents didn't exactly give you permission to come to this school did they. It's standard procedure for parents to come with the student to enroll them, barring the occasional..,” Ororo stopped herself short of giving the girl any bargaining chips, “Barring the occasional exception.”  
“I left my house to set out on my own.” There, it sounded better than running away.  
Ororo was about to ask another question when there came a knock on the door and Kurt walked in, “Ororo, vat vas it dat could not possibly wait another ten minutes?”  
Brenna turned to see the new visitor and jumped from her seat, nearly stumbling backward into the fireplace.  
Kurt stopped in his tracks and smiled wide. Ororo shook her head, his smiles were more often than not scarier.  
“You are blue, like a Jotun,” she edged closer to Ororo, “Yet you have a tail,”  
“Vat?” Kurt looked behind him, shrieked and started to turn in a circle pushing at the point of his tail as if trying to get away from it. Brenna could not help herself and she started to giggle.  
He made a grab for it, caught it in his hands and turned to her, “Vat should I do vith it?”  
“Can I touch it?” She asked as he rolled his eyes  
“Dey all vant to touch it. Go ahead, but no yanking, ja?”  
She touched the point, thinking it would be sharp but it gave way just like the tip of her nose, and she traced the outline of the tip until he shivered, pulling it to him.  
“Satisfied? It is just like your foot or hand.”  
She nodded and after a moment, returned to her seat though she kept her eyes trained on him.  
“Kurt, would you come here for a minute and read what I have written down so far?” Ororo held out the clipboard to him and as he took it, Brenna realized that he had only three fingers on each hand...if they could be called fingers. She was about to ask about them when he finished reading the clipboard and his head snapped up, his golden eyes peering at her. “From Asgard?”  
Ororo spoke but soft, “It's not possible is it? Thor's brother's child?”  
Brenna brightened, “King Thor is my uncle!”  
Kurt smiled at Ororo, “I think our question has been answered.”


	13. 13

Loki helped Eidra down from the wagon as a servant leaped up to the seat and took the reins. “See that the horses are well fed and watered.”  
“Yes, Milord,” the boy bowed as he tapped the reins.  
Loki gazed about the inner courtyard, the bustle of activity that was the daily routine as he gave Eidra his arm and they walked up the stone steps to the massive palace doors. As they were swung open by two guards stationed at the sides, a giant of a man wearing court robes trotted up to them, tall with a shock of blond hair and a beard with braids woven in.   
“Greetings Coris,” Loki addressed him, “I wish to speak with my brother.”  
Coris bowed deeply, “His Majesty is in the royal nursery. Please come with me. I will announce you.”  
They followed him through the halls, Eidra falling a bit behind. Loki glanced at her, “You should have retired to our old chambers. You need rest, the trip has been overlong for you and the baby.”  
“Loki, Brenna is what is important to me right now. I will rest when we find her. The baby is fine.”  
When they finally arrived at the nursery, Coris knocked on the double doors and stepped inside announcing their arrival. Eidra put her hand to her belly as the baby gave a strong kick. Loki's hand joined hers, his apprehension, his anger easing as the baby pushed against his fingers. He was once again spellbound by the miracle of life growing within the woman he loved. Most of the way here, he had lectured and chided her about being so headstrong. She had listened patiently but in the end when he had wondered how he had allowed her to come at all, she had spoken up.   
“Allowed? I daresay whether you allowed me or not, I would have followed you here.”  
Reasoning with her that the situation was dire, that he needed her to be safe was of little use She would have no more of it and finally he fell quiet.  
Now, as their hands met over her stomach, worried though he was about her, he was grateful for her mere presence, her strength.  
The nursery door opened and Coris reappeared.   
“His Majesty will see you,” He bowed and stepped aside. Thor was handing Lóriði over to Sif, who, Loki noted with disgust, was smiling at him. Thor turned and threw his arms wide.  
“Brother, you should have sent word you were coming. I will have the servants prepare your quarters. Where are the children?” He clapped Loki on the shoulder, searching his face and was at once serious, “What is it?”  
Loki put a fist over his heart, “I would have sent word had time not been of the essence. I needs must ask your help.”  
Thor put his other hand on Loki's other shoulder and looked him in the eye, “Ask and you shall have it, Brother, whatever it may be.”  
Loki's gaze shifted to Sif and back, “Brenna has gone missing. I had first thought she was coming here but now I am not so sure. We must search the palace for her.”  
Thor let go of his shoulders and clapped his hands. Two guards swung the nursery doors wide entering the room and bowing to Thor.  
“I wish the palace searched from top to bottom for my niece, Brenna. We will take the staff kitchen and the stables, the south courtyard and the arena to start.”  
The guards bowed deep and were out of the room before Thor could turn around, “Come, let us make haste.”  
Loki held Eidra's hand, “She must be seen to quarters so that she may rest.”  
Thor nodded, “Bring her to your quarters then. I will meet you in the Throne room,” He headed through the open double doors, Eidra following his lead, Loki bringing up the rear. As Loki was about to leave the nursery, he heard a chuckle behind him, “You seem to have misplaced something.”  
He stopped in his tracks, stood there, eyes narrowed, mind working for something to say in return. He looked over his shoulder at her for a long moment but finally chose to follow Eidra and Thor out of the nursery without another word spoken, leaving her to seethe.

 

Brenna looked about the room she'd been brought to. It had a bed done up in a pink flowery coverlet, a green overstuffed easy chair and a writing desk with a ladder back chair to match. A tall wardrobe like the one in her room at home. When she had mentioned that she felt like if she walked into it, she would emerge into her room in Asgard, Chase had laughed, “Or Narnia.”   
When she had asked what he meant, he told her he would bring her the books later. She had searched for a chamberpot as well. He'd shown her the toilet and how to use it, stuttering all the while as if it embarrassed him. She told him it was a vast improvement over the little porcelain pot and the outdoor latrine she usually used. The shower in particular was a true delight. When she clapped her hands as he had turned it on to show her how it worked he smiled, remarking she was living in a pretty archaic time. She'd allowed that it was all she'd ever known.  
Now she sat waiting for Ororo to come and talk to her. When she mentioned the King, Mister Wagner and Miss Munroe had bent their heads together talking for a long while until Mister Wagner returned to her and said she would be welcome to a room while they discussed her situation further. When she told them that all she sought here was sanctuary, a place to be safe, to stay and help, they reassured her all angles would be considered, that they would try to do what was best for her.  
She walked to the window beside the easy chair, stood looking out over the grounds of the school. Chase told her it was once a family home but it had been added on to over the years. It was a grand manor. The well kept lawns, the stately trees, the walkways simply added to the proper feel. She could almost pretend she had indeed made it to the palace. Then she saw a car drive down the access road, shattering the illusion. She was far from the palace, far from Asgard, very far from home.

 

“She said sanctuary. Is dass not asking for asylum?” Kurt waved his hand at the door as if she stood just outside.  
“It is but we have to consider who her father is. According to my database, he was returned to Asgard and is currently in prison. However, when he led the attack on New York, he had no children that we knew of,” Ororo tapped her chin, “Of course we can't always trust Fury to tell us everything. Besides, who knows if Fury's sources tell him all he needs to know.”  
Kurt sat in one of the easy chairs templing his hands before him, “According to mythology, he had children of varying species, of course it has always been open to interpretation. More so now dan ever.”  
“The fact is he's a dangerous psychopath. We've seen it. The question remains, is he still in prison?” She stared out the window behind her desk, looking over the same scene that Brenna was now staring at, “It's been seven years since the attack. Could he have served his time according to their laws?”  
“Maybe you should call Fury? I wouldn't vant to, mind you, but it is an option.”  
Ororo massaged her temples, “And what if he shows up looking for his child? The state of New York has some pretty strict laws about child endangerment. Would we be just in keeping her here at the school for her own protection? Damn Chase...he's got a good heart but he should have left her in the city.”  
“Ororo!” Kurt cried, hand to his chest, “She is just a child, der city would have eaten her alive.”  
Ororo ran her fingers through her hair, grateful that it was white. Times like these would have given her grays by the hundreds, “So then what do we do? Enroll her? Let her stay? Confine her to quarters?”  
Kurt tapped the arm of his chair, “As much as I hate to admit it, a call to Fury wouldn't be far wrong for a first step. At der very least make sure dey are not looking for her.”  
Ororo looked at the cell phone in her hand, “Ordinarily, we grant all mutants asylum without question. That's how it's always been, barring the occasional special case.”  
“I think dis would constitute as special but as always, I defer to your judgment. So for der time being, we should first give her a room to stay in. See how far her education goes, let her try der state tests, den I would see where we stand. Dass way, you will know what you are up against.”  
Ororo nodded, “You're right, start from the beginning.” She walked to the desk and opened one of the drawers, taking out a sheaf of papers, “I think I'm getting too old for this.”

 

Eidra had been lying on the bed, curled up around her belly, imagining a thousand horrible scenarios for Brenna when she heard the bedchamber door open. She sat up to see Loki standing there, dismay clearly visible upon his face.  
“She is not here or if she is, we cannot find her.”  
Eidra felt her chest constrict, her heart begin to pound. She'd hoped, half expected they would find Brenna here at the palace. When Loki had told her the Uruz was gone, she had refused in her mind to believe Brenna would think to go anywhere else. Now it would seem she had done just that.  
Eidra stood from the bed rushing into Loki's arms, felt him trembling, “I must go with Thor to Midgard.”  
“We will both go. I will not rest until I see her safe.”  
He leaned away, grabbing her shoulders roughly, “Woman, do you ken how dire the situation is if she be in Midgard?”  
He shuddered to think of what she would see when they arrived, how they would treat him. He had told her of New York, of the dark times when he was lost but some of the details, the minutiae, he'd kept from her. Just traveling to Midgard alone was a huge risk, especially where they were going to have to start, Thor had assured him it was the only way he would be allowed into the realm. Loki had considered pointing out to him he'd needed no such permission to travel to Tir Na Nog but swallowed his response. Based on the size of Midgard, they would need all the help they could get.  
“Please, my love, I beg you,let me come with you. I could not bear to sit here in the palace and wait for your return, not knowing if my baby were alive or dead.” She'd thought herself cried out, but as she buried her face in Loki's chest, the tears returned in an unchecked freshet. Loki wrapped her arms around her in a fierce embrace.   
“Eidra, you will be the death of me, this I do swear,” he pulled her face to his and kissed her lips, her tears threatening to start his own. “We will prepare for the journey but you must trust me, do as I say, ken?”  
“I ken, my heart.”  
Loki gave her his arm, “Come, Thor waits at the stables.”

 

Brenna had fallen into a light doze on the bed when the knock on the door startled her.  
“Come in,” she called.   
The door swung open to let Chase and Brian inside.  
“Girl you gotta learn, ask who is it before you say come on in,” Brian waved a finger at her, “Y'all don't know who might be on the other side.”  
“I am sorry, I shall endeavor to be more careful,” she sat up, smoothing her dress across her knees.  
“And geez, you talk like a SAT test. Y'all got to relax.”  
“Bri, ease up man,” Chase punched him in the arm, “We came to get you for dinner in the dining hall. I figured you'd be pretty hungry by now.”  
Brenna nodded, “I am starving,” she stood up, “Lead on, good sir.”

She did her best to set in her mind the return path to her room as they headed down the corridor, descended a flight of stairs into another corridor, arriving at a set of double doors which had been propped open. The din coming from the room beyond was deafening and she edged closer to Chase as they entered.  
“I'll help you pick out your food. What do you like?”  
Brenna was aware people were staring at her. She snagged Chase's sleeve, whispering in his ear, “Why are people looking so strangely at me?”   
Chase laughed, felt her grip tighten, “Everyone's gotta get a gander at the new student. Of course it could be the Lady Guinevere outfit you got on too.”  
Brenna shrank in upon herself, “I should have asked for a change of clothes. I am sorry.”  
“You just got in, screw them if they don't like it”   
He gestured towards a table of guys who were being particularly obvious in their scrutiny. They returned the gesture with equal flare.  
“You gave them the finger!” she hissed as they passed the table.  
“You know what that means, huh? It must be a universal greeting or something. Sorta like only knowing the swear words of a foreign language.”  
Chase directed her towards a line of kids standing before a row of glass topped cabinets behind which stood a couple ladies holding spoons or knives.   
“It is a buffet, is it not?” Brenna peered down the line as Chase handed her a tray. “  
Put this on the metal shelf over the food when it's our turn and just tell them what you want to eat.”  
“Skip the meatloaf,” Brian whispered in her ear.  
As they inched closer, she watched the ladies dishing out the contents from the metal pans onto plate after plate.   
“I do not know what to choose.”  
Chase bent down to peer through the glass, “Well do you like chicken?”  
Brenna smiled, “Very much.”  
“How about mac and cheese?” Chase craned his neck to see further, “Turkey and stuffing?”  
“I have never heard of mac however I do so like cheese. We make it on our farm,” Brenna stepped closer to the metal cabinets.  
“Yeah, they make it pretty good here. None of that yellow box shit, the real deal. I'll order for you,” Chase looked at the lady behind the counter who was waiting, hand on her hip, “I'll have two orders of the chicken and mac and cheese, please.”  
The lady took two plates and set them on a ledge behind the metal pans, “Light or dark?”  
“Light please,” He looked at Brenna,   
“Light?” she tilted her head to Chase.  
“White or dark meat,” Brian pointed through the glass.   
“Oh, um light please.”  
The lady eyed her as she placed a chicken breast on her plate, “New here, honey?”  
“Yes I am, thank you.”  
She nodded, “I can tell. You still got your manners about you.”  
“Aw now Barbra. That's not fair, I have manners...” Chase teased as the woman rolled her eyes at him, setting the plates back on the trays overhead.  
“Oh you got manners all right, bad ones.”  
Chase winked at Barbara as they slid the trays further down the line. They stopped before a display of desserts.   
“You like sweets where you come from?”  
“I do very much,” she gazed at the slices of pie, the bowls of pudding, plates of dark squares she could only imagine must be cake of some kind, “We eat a lot of fruit. We sweeten with honey and maple, molasses, sugar. We have sweet breads and rolls....”  
Chase pointed to two dishes, “Bread pudding please.”  
He nodded to Brenna who smiled, “You'll like this, trust me. Brian, we're going to find a table.”  
“Go on, I'll be right there,” he called to them as Brenna followed Chase into the maze of tables until they found a vacant one with enough seats.   
“You stay, I'll get the silverware,” he started to walk away suddenly turning around, “Ah I forgot drinks, what would you like?”  
“I usually drink water or cider.”   
“Water it is then. I don't think we've got cider here. I'll be right back.”  
He passed Brian, pointing out the table to him. Brenna nodded as Brian sat down with his tray.   
“Goodness, you eat like my Uncle Christopher,” she stared at the food crowded on his plate.  
“Does he eat a lot?”  
She nodded, watched him tuck a napkin under his chin.  
“Well then y'all can call me Chris cause I like to eat.”  
She laughed. She was beginning to like her new found friends even if she didn't always understand them.  
Chase returned with silverware, handing a set to her,“Go ahead, try your dinner.”  
She knew how chicken tasted, but the mac and cheese was another thing altogether. She poked into the warm steamy mass with her fork and held it up to her face, sniffed it. “It smells like cheese.”  
“Whoa, you kidding?” Brian cried, “They put cheese in your mac and cheese!”  
She got to giggling then, until she had to put her fork down. “You are so funny, Brian.”  
Brian smiled wide, “I know, I know, it's part of my killer charm.”  
Chase poked Brian in the ribs, “....Along with the big mouth that always gets him into trouble. Now let the girl eat.”  
Brenna blew on the forkful of mac and cheese a couple times, took a bite, then another and another until it was gone.   
“You gonna lick the plate too?” Brian asked as she held the last forkful in her mouth.  
“It was wonderful. I have never had anything like it!” She started to pull apart her chicken.  
“One thing for sure, she's easy to please,” He nudged Chase who countered with a shove.  
“Shut up, Bri.”  
Brian tore off a piece of his chicken, “Aight..just saying.”  
As she watched the boys eat, she was sure she had made the right choice to follow Chase out of Grand Central Terminal. She could get used to this place.


	14. 14

Thor glanced at Eidra, shaking his head. He had taken Loki aside upon hearing that she was to accompany them to Midgard, chiding Loki for not having demanded that Eidra remain behind in Asgard. Loki had countered that, had their roles been reversed and Sif insisted upon traveling with Thor to Midgard, he would have had the same lack of success. Thor had agreed. However, he added, it still did not negate the fact that Eidra should stay behind.  
Heimdall stood before them eying Eidra, picking up on Thor's discomfort. “The woman should stay here.”  
Thor turned to Loki, giving him a hard stare but Loki ignored him, “Do you see? Even Heimdall is no fool. Will you not listen to reason?”  
Loki stepped up to the stone faced guardian, “Does this mean you will not open the Bifrost for us?”  
Heimdall looked to Thor who waved his hand at the great stone doors with a scowl. He pivoted on his feet then, taking hold of the iron rings and pulling the doors open.  
“It would seem not. Where does my King wish to go?”  
“Midgard, Manhattan.”  
Heimdall paused, waiting.  
“The offices of S.H.I.E.L.D,” Thor finished, shifting from foot to foot, wanting to pace the bridge.  
Heimdall waved his sword across the opening and stepped back. The air shimmered before them as the top of a square stone mountain with a large white circle painted atop it rose into view. Eidra's hand slid into Loki's and squeezed it as the rush of warm air from the portal pushed her hair from her face.   
“Are you sure you wish to go with us?” He looked at her.  
She could see the mountain rising higher, coming closer.   
“Yes. Now let us go before I do lose my nerve,” and she was being led forward between the gates, the last step from the Bifrost being the first step onto the platform at the top of the office building. The wind hit her full force then, buffeting her dress about her as she peered around the skyline at the immense buildings which seemed to inhabit every square inch of earth as far as her eye could see. Thor, noting her terror, gave her a wry grin, “Welcome to Earth.”

 

“Sir,”   
Fury slowly brought his head up to glare at the agent standing in his doorway.  
“What?” He massaged his forehead in an effort to ward off the headache that had been threatening from the moment he woke up that morning.  
“We have a perimeter breach on the roof.”  
Fury stood up, suddenly alert, “Have you sent a welcome party?” He headed past the agent, a young man with dull brown hair and gray eyes.   
“Yes, sir. One of the visitors has been identified as the operative, Thor.”  
“There's more than one? Goddamn it....who's with him?”

As they made the bottom of the stairs leading into the second landing bay, the door to the building interior slid open, letting out a line of agents, guns drawn, trained on them.  
Thor held up his hands, “We are on a peaceful mission. Sheath your weapons!”  
Upon seeing the agents, Loki took Eidra in his arms, holding her to his chest and pivoting about, “I cannot believe you felt this was the best place to start!” Loki hissed at Thor.  
“Trust me, Brother,” Thor replied as the door opened again and Fury stepped through.   
“I didn't know you were paying us a visit, musta missed the memo. Is this a sightseeing tour? Family vacation?” Fury caught Loki's eye as he spoke.  
“I would it were such a pleasant reason for our trip, however we have a dire situation on our hands and we have need of your expertise,” Thor waved his hand at the agents, “Please, Director, we come in peace, to beg your help.”  
“Beg!” Loki cried, “I refuse to beg for anything...”  
“Odin's beard, Brother! Can you not hold your tongue just this once?” Thor growled at him.  
“I see he's as charming as ever.” Fury chuckled, walked up to Loki whose grip tightened about Eidra's shoulders, “What could I possibly do for you that I haven't already done?”  
Scenes played through Loki's mind, the cage, the cuffs, the blinding pain, the fear and anger as the city crumbled about him. If he tried hard enough, he could feel the hard metal of the scepter as though it was in his hand.  
“I need your help,” Loki replied, his fingers twining into Eidra's hair for comfort. “My daughter has gone missing.” his throat constricted at the words and he swallowed hard.  
“Huh, your brother failed to mention you had kids,” Fury glared at Thor, “In fact, he failed to mention a lot of things about you. The last we knew you were going to be cooling your heels in a palace cell for a very long time.”  
It was Thor's turn now to take offense, “We do not live by your leave in Asgard. Odin pardoned my brother his misdeeds and now he lives a peaceful life....”  
“Well talk about your complete one-eighty. A peaceful life? Still don't explain what you're doing here..”  
“We think Loki's daughter has traveled here to earth.” Thor crossed his arms.   
Fury peered at Loki, “Is she anything like you?”  
Loki had no need to ask Fury's meaning, he simply shook his head, “She is an innocent of but fourteen seasons.”  
Fury threw his hands in the air. “So how in the hell did she get here to Earth, the Bifrost?”  
Loki heard Eidra whisper then, “Oh Thor, please do not tell him,” and he glanced down at her, distressed at how quickly she was catching on.  
“We believe so.” Thor's gaze never wavered and Loki felt a wave of gratitude wash over him.  
Fury stood silent looking first to Thor then to Loki and back again.  
“Will you help us?” Thor gazed about the room at the agents still on their guard, guns aimed.  
Fury held up his hand and Loki watched the guns lower until they were pointing at the floor. Finally Fury clasped his hands behind his back nodding to Eidra, “Who is this young lady?”  
Eidra backed away from Loki and stood upright. “She is my wife, Eidra.”  
“The mother of your daughter, I gather?”  
“Yes.”  
Fury stared at her, taking in her condition, his eyes flitting to Loki then to Thor.  
“Come with me.”

 

He was sprawled across the bed on his stomach, at the very edge of sleep.  
“Sir?”  
He opened one eye, “If you're not Pepper holding a very dry martini, I'm not in.”  
“Sir, I believe this is important.”  
He rolled over onto his back, squinting at the dim recessed lights in the ceiling, “Jarvis what could possibly be more important than my much needed rest? I've been going for the last twenty hours.”  
“I've picked up radio transmissions from the S.H.I.E.L.D facility. It would seem they've received unexpected visitors   
Tony rose to his elbows, looking about the darkened bedroom, “Who?”  
“It's the S.H.I.E.L.D operative, Thor, Sir.”  
He sat up, “I know I'm tired but I distinctly heard you speak in the plural. Now for the kicker. Who's with him?”  
“Loki, sir.”  
Tony was off the bed, stumbling into the walk in closet, yanking a pair of slacks off one of the hangers.  
“Shall I prepare the suit, sir?”  
“Ya think?” he shrugged into his jacket which he'd grabbed from the hook on the bathroom door as he rushed past.  
“They've brought a woman with them, Sir. Approximate age twenty-eight, identity unknown.”  
Tony paused, fingers at the buttons of his jacket, “Just keep the suit on standby.”  
“Very good sir, I have ordered the limousine to the door.”  
“I'll be in touch,” Tony looked at the watch on his wrist, “If Miss Potts asks, I stepped out for a...”  
“A midnight snack, Sir?”  
“Sure I'll go with that...I'll stop and grab some of her favorite Szechuan on the way back....wish me luck.”  
There was a metallic sigh, “Good luck, sir.”

 

Loki pulled out a chair, guiding Eidra into it, kneeling beside her. Fury had brought them to a large room. A long black table surrounded by black padded chairs dominated most of the available space and the walls were polished glass, reflecting the white overhead lights so that he felt exposed.   
When Fury steered Thor from the room to speak with him, they were left alone.  
“This place is so strange, doors that open by themselves, people wearing such odd clothing, moving picture boxes...”  
“This is why I wished you to stay home. It is a frightening place for one who has never seen it.”  
“I cannot imagine how it must seem to Brenna,” her eyes darted about the room,” Loki we have to find her soon. She must be so scared.”  
He held her hand, caressing it, possessed by a sudden fierce need to protect her, “If she had been afraid, would she not have come home by now?”  
Eidra pulled his hand to her breast, held it there over her heart, “What if she cannot come home, what if something has happened...”  
He raised his hand then, putting his fingers to her lips, “Banish such thoughts from your mind. Nothing has happened to her. I will find her and we will go home together.”  
“Promise me?”  
He forced a smile to his face, “I will bring her home. This I swear to you.”  
There was a knock on the door. It slid open to reveal a petite, pretty woman, her blond hair tied back in a bun. She was dressed in a gray pant suit and as she approached them, Loki could see the strap of a side holster peeking from under her jacket. She stopped beside them and clasped her hands before her.  
“Director Fury will be in presently. My name is Lily and I have been assigned to address any needs you might have during your stay here.”  
Loki stood to face Lily, keeping Eidra's hand in a firm grip.  
“Ah yes, just what we need, a babysitter.”  
Lily smiled congenially at him, “Call me what you will.”   
She turned her attention to Eidra, noting the look of irritation she was currently directing at Loki and her heart went out to the pregnant woman. I hear you, sister.   
“Ma'am, let me see if I can get you a more comfortable chair. These chairs are designed to keep the occupants awake and alert. If you've ever been to a debriefing, you'd understand.” Without waiting for a reply, she exited the room, returning a minute later pushing a well padded office chair before her.  
Loki was sitting in a chair beside Eidra holding her hand again when Lily entered the room. Try as she might, she couldn't reconcile the scene before her with the classified files that she had watched countless times over the years since the attack on the city. She wheeled the chair beside the one Eidra was sitting in and offered her hand to help the pregnant woman stand up but Loki glared at her until she backed away. With exceeding tenderness, he then brought Eidra to her feet, easing her into the new chair.  
Lily stood apart from them, waiting, until Eidra smiled at her, “This is much better, thank you. Please forgive my husband, he tends toward rudeness in unfamiliar situations.”  
Loki folded his arms across his chest, “Eidra, that is simply not true. I prefer to think of my actions as cautious, guarded, if you will.”  
Lily watched the interaction between them, his countenance bespeaking utter devotion to the woman before him and she shrugged. Even Hitler had his Eva. She was about to ask them if they needed anything else when the door slid open. Fury and Thor filed in, Thor's face looking grave as Fury headed towards Loki. His mouth was open to speak when the door slid open yet again and Tony Stark trotted into the room, slowing when he spied Loki who was staring at him with unbridled hatred.  
“And what brings you here?” Stark, regaining his composure, strode up to him, “Prison barge?”  
“Stark!” Fury shouted, “This is a closed meeting.”  
Stark turned to Fury and smiled, “And I respect that so I came alone,” he returned his attention to Loki, “Now don't tell me, let me guess. You're on vacation and you forgot your passport? You should have those things in order before you travel between realms.”  
“Tony,” Thor grumbled, taking a step towards him as he held up a hand, “Now wait a minute, I do have a legitimate question. What in actual hell are you doing here?”  
“Christ, Stark,” Fury muttered, glancing at Lily  
Lily kept Fury in her peripheral vision even as she focused on Loki and Tony, her hand hovering over her holster.   
Eidra had listened to the exchange, knew Loki was past his point when she saw his hands open and she hauled herself from the chair to face the man everyone was calling Stark. “If you speak to my husband again with such disrespect, you shall answer to me.”  
“Eidra!” Loki cried, “Sit down, the baby....”  
“Is fine, Loki,” she finished for him, “I will not stand by and listen to this stranger belittle you.”  
Tony gave Fury a double take as he stepped up to Eidra. Lily saw Fury's nod and she flipped the strap clear of her revolver with her thumb, ready.  
“I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, my dear,” Tony took Eidra's hand, kissing it, missing the withering look she fixed Loki with as he started forward to reach for Tony's shoulder, “I could have sworn you called this one-man fun house your husband.”  
She could hear Loki struggle to keep his voice even as he plucked her hand from Tony's grasp, “You heard correctly, Stark, and if ever again you lay so much as a finger upon my wife, I will snap your neck.”  
Tony's face fell for a fraction of a second, his smile rebounding to his lips as he reached out and touched his fingertip to Eidra's shoulder, “As I was saying..”  
All at once, Eidra was between them, pushing against Loki's chest, shouting behind herself at Tony, “Are you completely mad?”  
Fury continued to remain silent until Thor caught his eye and he muttered, “For someone who's looking for help, he's off to a bad start.”  
“Brother!” Thor called to him, “Calm yourself. Remember why we are here.”  
Loki glared at Tony for a moment longer, then put his arm around Eidra, pulling her aside, sitting her down again. As he did so, Tony gave Fury a nod, receiving a roll of his eye in return.  
“Well that was fun,” Tony clapped his hands together, “Now tell me, why are you here? Not for a second attempt I hope, I'd hate to pull Banner away from his assignment in Honolulu.”  
“He's looking for his daughter.” Fury piped up, watched smugly as Tony's jaw dropped.  
“A daughter? How old? Tell me she's nothing like you.”  
Loki bit back his retort, aware that so much hinged on his self control now, “She is nearly fifteen seasons.”  
“So now let me get this straight. You fucked shit up here in New York, got taken out, brought home to prison, and it would seem, was allowed conjugal visits. Am I following this right? You got busy, had a family and now you've lost track of your child?”  
Loki sneered at him, “There is much you do not know. I am certain raising a child would be beyond your kenning.”  
“Well I ken one thing pal,” Tony had returned to his former position, inches away from Loki, “You were a poor excuse for an all powerful demigod, and you seem to be an even poorer excuse for a father.”  
The last thing her heard before Loki's fist connected with his nose was Thor's voice, “Stark, you go too far!”   
Tony stumbled backwards, brought a hand to his nose, feeling the warm blood against his fingers. He swung about to see Lily her hands outstretched, the gun drawn; He waved it down though she kept it up.  
“No no, honey, don't fault him, I don't know when to shut my mouth.”  
Eidra was now standing again, stroking Loki's cheek, whispering to him as he stared right through her. Tony chuckled to himself, strike one more thing off the bucket list, getting bitch slapped by a god.  
The sound of clapping drew their attention to Fury who was walking towards them.  
“That was spectacular boys, almost felt like I was in a episode of American Gladiator...almost,” he glared at Stark, “Mister Stark. I gotta wonder how you still ain't managed to talk your way into an early goddamn grave! I was him, I'da tossed your ass out the window,” Fury pulled out a chair, “Now that the pleasantries are finished, shall we sit down and have a civilized conversation? And by we, I mean you, Stark. Just in case you missed it..”  
Tony put his hands to his chest, feigning surprise as Loki leaned forward, glaring at him. Fury sat down at the head of the table and leaned back in the chair.   
“First things first, we can't exactly look for your daughter unless we have a picture of her to go by. I don't suppose you got any Polaroids on you?”  
Loki tilted his head and Tony sighed, “Pictures, you know photos?”  
“We have a family painting at home,”  
“Sorry that's not going to help us here,” Fury interjected.  
“I am aware of that. I will show you what I do have.”  
Loki passed his hand before his face, palm outstretched before him, “Brenna jeg ønsker å se på bildet før meg.”  
Brenna's face hung in the air before them, transparent but clear.   
“A hologram, very nice,” Tony raised his wrist, holding out a small wristband. “Jarvis, did you catch that image?”  
“Yes sir, I am enhancing it as we speak,” a voice reverberated through the room, “I will begin accessing all available video feeds within the last twenty-four hours starting with Manhattan and the outer boroughs. It will take some time.”  
Tony, watching Loki look about the room while Jarvis was speaking, nodded to Fury. “See, no need to put out the milk cartons with her picture on them. We'll have her location pinned down, pick her up and bring her back here before the meter runs out on your parking space.  
“I'll hold you to that.” Fury eyed him as he sat up straight in one of the chairs, nodding to Loki.  
“Trust me, this will soon be just another unpleasant memory.”


	15. 15

After dinner, Chase and Brian gave Brenna a tour of the school, showing her around the dorm rooms which comprised one full wing of the mansion including the gymnasium with its rows of bleachers, basketball hoops and a large trampoline which Chase had coaxed her to try out. They'd had to beg her leave then, so much fun was she having on it.  
They showed her the indoor pool. She wrinkled her nose as they stood along the edge.  
“What is that strange odor?”  
Chase and Brian looked at each other, “Strange odor?” Chase sniffed, “All I smell is chlorine.”  
“Chlorine? What is it?”  
Chase squatted and swished his hand in the warm water, bringing it up to her nose. She sniffed and nodded, “Oh yes, that is what I smell. Gods.”  
“They use it to kill germs, keep the bacteria from building up in the water...” Chase caught her blank look, “Ever seen stagnant water get all green and slimy?”  
“Yes, we steer clear of it. Father says it is not safe.”  
Chase gestured toward the pool, “Chlorine equals no green slimy.”  
Brenna smiled, “Fascinating!”  
“It don't take much to make you happy do it.” Brian chuckled as they left the pool area.  
They brought her to the recreation room with its billiards, ping pong, foosball and air hockey tables, chess and checker sets. There were stuffed couches and easy chairs all around the room. Stacks of board games sat on a large shelf built into one wall spaced between high arched windows made to allow maximum light into the room during the day. Brenna pointed to one game, “Scrabble, what is that?”  
“Oh its a game where you use tiles to make words and your opponent builds a word off of a letter in your word...we'll play it later.”  
She stared in awe at the immense plasma TV on another wall. When Brian turned it on, she jumped back, nearly tripping over Chase.  
“Moving paintings! 'Tis magic!”  
Chase walked up to the screen and touched it, crooking a finger at Brenna who approached but slowly.  
“See, it's only a picture. Images are recorded somewhere else and projected here into the receiver and then.... you have no idea what I'm talking about...” He watched her trace her finger around the screen, taking it all in.  
“Amazing, I have never seen such wonders,” she breathed.  
“Man,” Brian shook his head, mumbling to Chase “You sure she ain't one a them Amish people?”  
They brought her to a dark paneled room with chintz covered couches sitting before a large fireplace, bookshelves, reading lamps, a few round tables scattered about, a small box of children's toys and a short round table in one corner. “This is the Great room where students usually receive visitors, you know, friends and family when they come to visit.”  
Brenna looked about the room, trying to imagine her parents standing before the fireplace, arms open wide finding it impossible to conjure such a scene in her head.  
“Do your families ever come to visit you?”  
Brian nodded, “All the damn time, they a bit embarrassing. My brothers, they eight years old and they twins. Nothing is safe. We had to search the whole school one time because they ducked and ran from my momma. Took us two hours to find them.”  
She looked at Chase, “And yours?”  
He stared at the floor for a second, “Ah, my dad's really busy. He doesn't have time to see me. He's always working, performing some miraculous surgery, or meeting with senators or something. I stay here most of the time, holidays included..”  
“Holidays? Like our festivals, our blots, correct?”  
Chase shoved his hands in his pockets, “Festivals, yeah I guess so.”  
“I am sorry, Chase,” She put her hand on his arm, “Such are the times for family and loved ones to be together, it is not meet that you should be alone. I will be your family here. You can teach me all about your festivals and we can celebrate them.”  
“Is she for real?” Brian laughed, stopping short as he saw Chase's face, “Aw here we go.”

They showed her the laundry where students did their clothes. He opened one of the washers, “They put their clothes in here to wash them..”   
“It seems like a stretch,” she stuck her arms down into the drum, “I would prefer a sink...but,” Chase laughed as she looked about the room.  
“....where do they hang their things to dry?”   
Brian led her to a tall dryer. She stood open mouthed staring at the clothes inside tumbling about, felt the warm air blowing through the vent at her feet, “This box dries your clothes? How convenient! Show me how it works.”  
“Later, okay? We got more to see,” Chase took her arm, leading her  
They brought her the auditorium where they explained to her about the plays and skits the school Drama club would perform during the year. The concerts the school orchestra would put on.   
“Ah, my brother and I would perform little plays for my mother. Sometimes Helgi, our housekeeper, would join us,” she paused, “I already miss her.”  
Chase draped his arm around her shoulder, “It's not easy being alone in a new place. We'll get you used to it. At this school, we stick together.”  
They guided her through the lecture halls, amphitheaters with descending rows of desks surrounding the lectern at the ground floor. Then they headed outside to the grounds.  
“This is the school garden.” Chase waved his hand at a vast plot of land situated behind the school, facing a small lake. It was in full bloom. She could see corn stalks, pea vines, tomato plants, carrot tops just starting to poke out of the ground. A group of teens, boys as well as girls, were in the garden working. A couple of girls saw them and put their heads together to talk as they picked tomatoes.  
“Will I be allowed to work in the garden as well?”  
Chase looked to Brian and shrugged, “I guess so, we all have to take a turn. It's required by the school. We have to tend the garden and the animals,” he pointed to a large red barn a distance away, closer to the lake, “Miss Munroee says raising some of our own food teaches us to be self sustainable.”  
Brenna fingered the leaf on a corn stalk, “Of course, how else would you get your food?”  
Brian turned to her, “Now hold up, hold everything. You ain't gonna tell me you ain't got no grocery stores where you come from. Where you get your bread and milk and things like that?”  
Brenna stared at him. “We make those things ourselves. We plant and harvest our food, bake our bread, milk our cows, gather eggs from our chickens, have our barley milled into flour. On the occasions we have excess, we bring our wares to market..”  
“Aha,” Brian cried, “So you do got markets.”  
“Of course we do. My mother and Helgi sew but we are not weavers, we buy our cloth from Ren. We get our harnesses and farm tools from the town blacksmith though my father is trying his hand at making horseshoes.”  
“Gotta be Amish,” Brian slapped Chase on the back, “Dude we have got to take her to Wal-Mart.”

 

Logan scratched his beard, “So your only problem with this kid is whether or not her daddy is gonna come and tear apart the school to get her?”   
Kurt sat on Ororo's desk, his tail twitching impatiently, “One problem among many. She is a runaway.”  
Logan sat down opposite Kurt in one of the easy chairs, “Well maybe she had a good reason to run away, didja ever think of that?”  
Ororo was writing but she stopped. “We have, all of us, been on the run at one time or another, despite the reason,” She put her head down on her arms, her voice muffled, “Nevertheless, it's not like we can send her back to where she came from.”  
Logan patted Ororo on the back of the head, “Have you guys considered that she might be lying in the first place?”  
Ororo turned her head to the side so that she was staring up at him sideways. “About what? Being a mutant?”  
“About all of it. Claiming she comes from another world, having a psychopath for a father? The mutant theory we can test. The rest is up for conjecture unless you have a direct line with the next universe over.”  
“Chase claims he saw her heal a woman's broken ankle in Grand Central..”  
Logan shot her a wry grin, “Ro, come on. Red blooded male, little lost girl. You might stretch the truth a bit too.”  
“We can check der database for der U.S. Missing Children bureau. We can at least find out if she is listed as missing.”  
Ororo nodded, “I'm going to get right on it before I go any further with this. I've talked to Nala and told her to get ready for an extra student tomorrow in student orientation. If we don't find her in the database, she'll have something to occupy herself while we do a bit more research.”  
“Where is she now?” Logan hopped up from the chair, “I'd like to meet her.”

 

Eidra looked about the quarters they'd been given for the evening. Everything was so alien to her and the baby had been restless since their arrival. When Thor arrived at the door to take Loki with him somewhere, she felt like crying. A moment later, however, there was a knock on the door andshe was relieved to hear a woman's voice call out, “Ma'am, It's Lily. May I come in?”   
It was the agent who had been in the conference room.  
“Please do!” She replied, hoping she didn't sound as panicked as she felt.  
The door slid open and Lily stepped inside, “I see the boys left you all alone.”  
“Yes,” she looked about the room, “And I am so very lost here in this realm.”  
Lily sat down on the short couch beside Eidra, “Well what would you like to know? Ask me anything.”  
“I might well ask you everything, I know so little.”  
Lily smiled, “Follow me, I'll show you how everything works.”  
They spent the next half hour touring around the little apartment on sub level three. Eidra was delighted with the faucets in the sink, explaining that she had to pump water into a stone basin in Asgard. “Mind you I am not complaining, it is all I know,”   
As Lily showed her around, Eidra began to feel more comfortable. When Lily asked when the baby was due, Eidra smiled, “Two more moons at the most, I can feel the baby running out of room.”  
“Moons? Months right?”  
“If that means one full moon to the next, yes,” Eidra gasped, put a hand to her belly, “and she is going to come out running as the last few moons have shown me.”  
“You know it's going to be a girl?” Lily clasped her hands behind her back.  
“I do not know for certain, however, I feel it and I have been right with each of my children.”  
Eidra looked up at Lily, “Would you like to feel her?”  
Lily hesitated. One of the first rules as an agent was to maintain a professional distance but babies were a particular weakness with her. She and her boyfriend, Jack, had been trying for a baby for a year now. She gently placed her hand on Eidra's stomach and was thrilled to feel what felt like a foot rub against her palm. Eidra took notice of her beaming smile.  
“Do you have any children of your own?”  
Lily took her hand away, “No, I've been trying for a baby but so far we've come up goose eggs. Do you have other children at home?”  
Eidra nodded as they walked into the bedroom where a large full sized bed dominated the room.  
“I have a son, Fenris. He is seven seasons. I would have had two sons but my first son Silas was born too early and did not live long.”  
“I'm sorry,” Lily covered her mouth, “I shouldn't have asked  
Eidra put a hand on Lily's arm, “It was a blessing. The poor dear suffered while he lived. He was a moon too early.”  
“Only a month? There was nothing they could do for him there?”  
“No...,” Eidra regarded her, “It happens quite often...babies are born too soon..”  
“Here on...Earth?... what do you call us?”  
“Midgard,”  
“Midgard, then, a baby born three...moons early has a chance to survive. A month early is definitely doable.”  
Eidra's eyes widened, “Truly?”  
“Oh yes. You do have doctors don't you?”  
“Clotho is the palace physician. I doubt even he could have saved Silas. We have village physicians, midwives and the like.”  
“No hospitals?”  
Eidra shook her head, “I have never heard of this word. This is some kind of magic is it not?”  
“Some might think it is but it's just critical care, medicine, support.”  
Eidra tapped her chin,. “Thank you for that information. I should like to discuss this with Loki.”  
Lily grinned. The woman was proving to be an enchanting guest. She so often had to deal with unpleasant people when she was assigned in these situations.  
“How did you meet Loki?”  
Eidra sat down on the bed, “I was sent from Alfheim as a tribute to Thor. He gambled me in a contest with Loki. Loki won.”  
“You were a gambling chip?”  
“No I was a servant, they gambled my servitude.”  
Lily sat down beside her, “But you're not a servant now right?”  
She looked down at her belly, “Am I not? I cook and clean, take care of my children, help on the farm...I just do for me and my family. Does that make sense?”  
Lily laughed, “Then I guess we're all servants aren't we.”  
Eidra smiled, “Now you ken.”  
“How long have you been married?”  
“Seven seasons,” She smoothed her dress, leaning back on her hands. “My body aches so.”  
“You should try that bathtub in there, take a soak. I know it won't help what's going on right now but maybe it'll help your back.”  
Eidra peered into the bathroom, “I might consider it later, though with any luck we will not be here long if you will forgive me. I wish to find my daughter and return home.”  
Lily held up her hands, “No, no, don't blame you. I'm from Maine. Trust me I'd love to be there right now.”  
“Maine...”  
“It's a state in New England....um....let me think...another kingdom, does that make better sense?”  
Eidra smiled again, “It does,”  
“So barring what you feel, what do you hope the baby will be?”  
Eidra traced the curve of her stomach, “I had hoped for another boy first but it is a girl, I know it. We will just have to try again.”  
Lily put her hand to her forehead, “How many children are you planning to have?”  
“I do not know, I would love another boy just to make it even.”  
“Wow, I'm only one of two and I thought that was plenty.”

They were still sitting on the bed talking when they heard the door in the living area slide open and Loki's voice call out, “Eidra?”  
They walked out of the bedroom to find Loki and Thor standing there in the middle of the room. When Loki caught sight of Lily, he glared at her.  
“Eidra, they are looking for Brenna. I do not wholly ken their technology as they call it, but they said it would take time and that we should try to get some sleep. I suggested their child go missing and see how much rest they would get.”  
Eidra frowned, “Loki, why must you view every suggestion as a personal challenge? Could you simply not say thank you and leave it at that. What good will it do to worry yourself to exhaustion?”  
“And that is also what I told him.” Thor added.  
Loki folded his arms, dropping down on the couch as Eidra mimicked him, “And now you will fall to sulking.” Loki's gaze slid to the floor and Lily took the silence as her opportunity.   
“I'll let you two alone. Eidra, remember the intercom I showed you in the panel beside the door? Don't hesitate to use it if you need anything.”  
Eidra looked at Loki again, “I will, thank you so much for your help and your company, both were greatly appreciated.”  
Lily motioned to Thor to follow her and he nodded, “Brother, I will fetch you as soon as we hear anything about Brenna.”  
When the door finally closed behind them, Eidra took Loki's hand and pulled him up from the couch. “The hour is growing late, come lay down for a bit if only to re-center yourself.”  
He allowed himself to be led into the bedroom and was soon lying on his side, Eidra curled up behind him, rubbing his back and humming softly.  
She thought he had dozed off, so quiet had he become when he spoke, “What if they do not find her?”  
“Then we travel to another realm, and another until we do but we will find her.”  
He was quiet again, then, “What if we never find her.....the night she left, I had the chance to speak to her and never took advantage of it...what if I never....” He stopped, unable to say anything more.  
She felt his breathing change, distress throwing him into a panic. She pulled him as close as she could, “We will find her. Put all other thoughts out of your head, my love.”  
“Perhaps I should have let her stay at the palace for a few moons. She would have turned from it soon enough on her own.”  
Eidra fought her own grief down as she held him, “This was no one's fault, you cannot blame yourself. Rest.”  
Eventually she felt the tension drain from his body as he succumbed to sleep. She lay there staring at his back for a long time until she joined him.


	16. 16

Miles away, Brenna had been trying to fall asleep herself but when she was finally left alone, the events of the day began to overwhelm her. The biggest question on her mind being what her parents were thinking right now, where they were, if they were upset.   
She frowned to herself. Of course they were upset. Her mother was probably beside herself. The thought alone nearly put her feet on the floor. Her father, however, was likely ready to kill her. She touched the Uruz at her throat. He had a temper at the best of times, she shuddered to think of what would happen if he ever found her.   
She burrowed deeper into the covers, thinking of what the professor called Logan had said to her. She had been sitting on the long benches in the gymnasium, chilling, according to Chase and Brian, when Logan found them. He'd sat down and told her that she would start something called orientation on the morrow, however, she best be prepared for a surprise.   
“I gotta tell ya, we are checking the internet for any missing children bulletins out on you. If they find one, they have to tell the police so if you're lying to us, ya might want to reconsider telling us the truth.”  
Although she hadn't a clue what an internet was, she remained adamant about her story. Logan had stared hard at her. Had she ventured to guess, she would have said he was gauging her sincerity. Her father frequently gave her the same look. Finally he said Chase would fetch her in the morning and bring her to class, the teacher would take it from there.  
Despite her fear of the unknown, worry about her parents, missing home, she was actually excited to explore this realm. It was full of wonders and she intended to learn what she could about them, including Chase.  
She chewed her lip. He was quite handsome. A little awkward at times. She wondered if he thought the same of her. He'd been so helpful. Whenever she smiled at him he would go red in the face. She pulled the blankets closer to her and closed her eyes, desperate for the next day of her new life to begin.

Fury had just lain his head down on the pillow on the couch in his office. He couldn't recall when he had last seen his own bed in his lower Manhattan apartment. The click of the intercom made him glance at his watch. It was nearly six-thirty in the morning as he groaned, “Gonna be a long day.”  
“Director Fury?”  
Fury scratched his head, “Yes?”  
“We think we may have located the girl. Are you available to come to the tech lab?”  
Fury sat up, snatching his eyepatch from the desk top, “On my way.”

The computer technician, a short, gaunt man with spiked brown hair and wire framed glasses magnifying his amber eyes, spun around in his chair when Fury entered the room.   
“What have you got Claude?”  
He watched the technician swivel back to face the large screen, punching the keys on the keyboard. He noted the man's ghostly pallor and shook his head, son you need to get out more often' .  
“We cross referenced recent name searches when the face recognition software failed to find her after the sighting in Grand Central Terminal. We then found there had been a total of seventy searches conducted worldwide within the last twenty-four hours at the U.S. Missing Persons database for a Brenna, no last name listed. We cross referenced those with the information you gave us and found only one search a close match for the criteria although they listed the girl's age as fifteen...”  
Fury stared at the screen. “And where was the search done from?”  
“Not far from here,” The technician punched a few more keys, and a map appeared that was all too familiar to him.   
“We obtained the IP address and found the computer used to conduct the search is located at a private school in Westchester county, maybe an hour out of the city if the traffic cooperates. We have a physical address here.”  
“No need, I want a car ready in fifteen.”

The strange chirp tore her from a deep sleep. The room was nearly pitch black save for dim lights which lit the baseboards around the bedroom. She tried to clear the fog from her mind, recalling what Lily had told her to do. She sat up with the next chirp and it came to her, “Lights, half power.”  
Warm light flooded the quarters as Loki stirred beside her. She rose from the bed slowly. She felt the stiffness down to her bones.   
“Come in,” She called as she shuffled into the living area.  
The door slid open and Thor strode through, looking as if he too had just awoken. He was wearing a shirt with a jacket and a pair of slacks, his hair tied back and he had a dark suit similar to what the agents wore, draped over his arm. He sailed past her into the bedroom.  
“Loki, Brother, get up.”   
Eidra followed him into the bedroom and now stood listening. Loki started awake, pushing himself up on his elbows, squinting at the lights as Thor threw the garments to him. “Get dressed. They believe they have found Brenna.”  
Eidra began to search for her shoes as Loki hurried to dress. By the time they walked out of the bedroom, Eidra was waiting by the door. Thor shook his head,“You must stay here.”  
When she started to argue with him, he held up his hand. “They would only allow Loki to accompany us on the condition that you stay here.”  
“But why? I am her mother!”  
Loki saw the tears in her eyes and he cupped her face with his hands, “Because with you here, they know I will return.”  
She looked at him, perplexed, “If I had gone with you, would you not have returned?”  
Loki nodded, kissed her forehead, “Yes, my heart, but they do not trust me at my word. I will bring her back, I promise.”  
Her bottom lip began to tremble and he stroked it with a thumb, “I will ask Fury to send that woman agent to sit with you so you will not be alone.”  
Eidra could only nod for fear she would lose control if she spoke but as the door closed behind them, she collapsed on the couch, holding her belly, rocking back and forth, eyes closed, mind locked on the thought that soon they would all be together, they would all be back home.

 

Brenna was already awake when the knock on the door came that morning. She had been searching in her pack for her ivory comb.   
“Enter,” Brenna called out and the door swung wide. A pretty young woman with short dark brown hair and eyes the color of ebony peeked into the room.  
“I hope I'm not intruding. I'm Grace. I'm the house mother. I take care of the dorms and the students, I enforce the rules, organize schedules, and occasionally loose my mind.”  
Brenna pulled the comb from her pack, “Not at all. I am Brenna.”   
She smiled as Grace set an armful of clothes down upon the bed.  
“Did you sleep well?”  
Brenna hesitated, “I suppose I did once I was able to fall asleep. Everything is so new and different. I lay there for a long time just staring out the window thinking.”  
“It's scary being in a new place.” Grace held her clipboard in the crook of one arm and surveyed the clothes, “I asked Chase to take an educated guess on your size since I wasn't at the school yesterday when you arrived so I might be a bit off.”  
Brenna stood brushing her hair, “I will manage. I have another dress in my pack if needed.”  
“I see you had time for a shower.” Grace wrote something on her clipboard.  
“A bath actually. The shower frightened me.”  
Grace blinked once, “Okay let's see what we have for you to wear.”  
Brenna stared at the pile of clothes. “Are you certain I should not simply wear the dress I brought.”  
Grace looked up, assessing her “The dress is lovely.”   
And it was, Grace took notice of the fine stitching and rich fabric as soon as she walked in. She also noted that the dress wouldn't look out of place in a stage production of “Robin Hood.” either. She glanced at her clipboard, wishing they'd given her more information about Brenna. “But the dress is a bit...fancy for every day wear. I want you to fit in with the other students.”  
“Fit in?”  
Grace chewed her lip, “Okay, I want the other students to accept you. Sad though it might sound, style is important to teenagers in this day and age.”  
Brenna nodded, “I ken. It is akin to a horse in a pasture full of cows. The horse stands out because it is a horse. I know I stand out because I dress differently.”  
Grace tilted her head, “Good analogy....I think...” She picked up a dress from the bed, her clipboard under her arm, “How about this one?” As she was holding it up, Brenna regarded her in turn. Grace was wearing a pair of black slacks and a fitted red t-shirt with a lacy white wrap over her shoulders.   
Brenna took the dress from her hand, “Women wear mens clothing here, It is confusing.”  
“The practice of keeping women in dresses went out ages ago. We wear what we like now. You want to try pants and a shirt? I have a nice pair of jeans and a shirt here.”  
Brenna held up the dress. It was made of jersey fabric and it was a simple A-line dress in a powder blue. Minutes later she was standing in front of the dressing table with the hem in her hand, curtseying as she giggled, “It is so short, I am used to longer gowns. I feel practically improper.”  
Grace laughed, “If only all teenagers felt that way.”

Grace had delivered her to the Great Hall to have breakfast, assuring her she would return shortly to bring her to Orientation. Brenna looked about for Chase or Brian but they were nowhere to be seen and so she braved the food line, opting for the only items that looked familiar to her, a bowl of oatmeal and an apple and sat alone at one of the tables. She could only manage half the bowl of oatmeal. She was simply too nervous to eat.  
Grace found her leaning over the table, her head in her hands.  
“Brenna, are you alright?”  
“Yes, I just feel uneasy..”  
“I understand but there's nothing to be nervous about. Come on, bring your tray up to the dishwasher and lets get you to class.”  
As they neared the classroom, her heart felt like to beat out of her chest. She only hoped she could manage to keep her feet until she made it to a chair.  
Grace opened up the door and ushered Brenna inside a half empty classroom. Students were standing in groups talking as class had not yet begun.  
At a big desk sat a handsome looking woman with long black hair and cerulean blue skin. She was dressed like Miss Munroe, in a gray suit jacket with a white shirt beneath and a black skirt. She was clearly out of proportion, bigger by far than Grace and herself. She was bent over the desk, reading papers. As they reached the desk, she looked up at them and Brenna realized she was wearing dark glasses. She smiled, removed them and stood up, kept standing in fact until she towered over them both by a good two feet.   
Her height alone would have been intimidating enough but Brenna recognized her for what she was. She had seen her race but twice in her life. Once when her mother had shown her the power of the Uruz, calling up the realms and she had watched the giants walking about the frozen landscape of Jotunheim. The second time, she had been playing in the village with Silvan and Moran when a royal contingent of guards passed through with one of them chained in a large cart drawn by two horses.  
She swallowed hard, holding her tongue when the woman held out her hand, “I'm Nala Harding. Welcome to Orientation.”  
Brenna held out her own hand, watching as it was engulfed by Nala's. Grace, catching Nala's attention mouthed the word “nervous”. Nala let Brenna's hand go, reached into a drawer in the desk pulling out a book with the words “Student Handbook” on the front in gold letters, and a folder with a number of papers in it. She handed them to Brenna and clasped her hands before her on the desk. “You're going to do just fine.”

 

The black limousine sat idling in rush hour traffic, all of the occupants staring out the windows except Stark. He kept his gaze trained on Loki who wore a sneer on his face, watching the people pass by on the sidewalk, the cars waiting beside them, lights flashing  
“Beautiful isn't it?” Stark tapped the glass and a pair of women looked towards the limo as if they'd heard him. “All those people coexisting happily, freely.”  
Loki kept watching, listening to the sounds of horns honking, people yelling, “Oh of course. Quite lovely. Unbridled, without direction, chaotic, brutal.”  
“But that's the beauty of it.” Stark leaned forward, “They're free to be brutal, or chaotic, or happy.”   
Thor gave a shake of his head and Tony was taken by surprise. He was actually agreeing with his brother.   
“Unbridled freedom often turns into anarchy,” Thor grumbled.  
Tony raised an eyebrow, “Hey big guy, that's pretty insightful. I didn't know you were such a deep thinker.”  
Loki turned to his brother though he addressed Tony, “There is much you do not know of us, Stark.”  
The limo started to move again, drawing Loki's attention back to the window.   
“So tell me, my psychotic friend. Marriage, how did you manage that? I mean did you meet her in prison?” Loki clenched his hands into fists as Tony continued, “She's not some kind of ninja assassin right? She a princess? A mistress?”  
“She is a lady.” Loki muttered, unwilling to be drawn into the discussion.   
“A lady? Was she a noblewoman?”  
Thor crossed his arms, jaw tight.   
“No? What was she then? A lady of the evening?”  
Thor snorted, a half smile upon his face as Tony stared at him, “Okay, then if she wasn't a noble, not a member of the royal guards, not a call girl....,” he leaned forward in the seat, whispered conspiratorially, “No...tell me she wasn't the hired help.”   
Loki's head snapped around, “She is a daughter of the House Denari. Her father is a member of the Alfari High Court. She is a lady!”  
Tony's eyes shifted to Thor who was now staring at the carpet at his feet.  
“So you did the French maid thing. That's stooping kinda low isn't it? Well, at least for the son of a King.”  
But for Thor's arm across his chest, Loki would have been upon Tony.  
“Speak against my wife again and I promise you I shall...!”  
“What?” Tony interjected settling back into the seat. “You'll what? Please give me a reason to turn this car around.”  
A window behind Stark's head slid open and one eye glared back at them, “What the fuck is going on back there? Do I hafta have one of you come sit up front.....Stark?”  
He didn't turn to face Fury, “No sir, just having a polite conversation.”  
Fury eyed Loki and Thor, “Well it's a damn loud conversation. Stark, I suggest you give up the pissing contest before I come back there to play referee. So why don't you all sit back and enjoy the ride?”  
Loki shoved Thor's arm from him and sat back in the seat, returning Fury's gaze until he noticed the edge of his eye crinkle as the window slid shut. Once in a while, Loki, who had leaned his head back to the seat, would feel Stark's stare as if it was a palpable thing and he sought to control his anger as they edged ever closer to their destination.

Miss Harding proved to be engaging and understanding, even when Brenna motioned her over and whispered to her that she had no inkwell for her pen. Nala had taken a sheet of paper and written on it then whispered back, “No inkwell needed.”   
The class began to go through the student handbook together though much was lost on her. The wording was so different from the books on Uncle Chris's bookshelf. She felt overwhelmed. When Nala dismissed the other students but asked her to stay, she was relieved. She had so many questions to ask.  
“Miss Munroe wanted you to be tested, she wanted to see how much you know so we can place you in the right classes though I think you're going to require a different technique.” Miss Harding  
took a large sheaf of papers from one of the desk drawers and selected the top few papers, handing them to her. “I'd like you to read this short paragraph then we'll discuss it.”  
As far as Brenna could determine, it was about a dog named Skip who went to the store with his master, after that, it became hard to follow.   
“Is a store like a market? Brian told me you have markets called Wal-Mart. The woman in the story worked in a restaurant. What is that?”  
After about the tenth question, Nala stopped her, “Oh yes, a different approach altogether.” She resisted the urge to pick up the phone, call Ororo and ask her just where this young woman came from.  
As Nala began to write on the paper before her, Brenna's curiosity overcame her trepidation.   
“I did not know the frost giants ever visited this realm. How did you come to be here?”  
Nala's pen stopped moving and she looked up at Brenna, “Come again?”  
Brenna was surprised. She was clearly Jotun, could it be possible that she knew nothing of what she was?  
“You are of the race we call Frost or Ice giants, you are Jotun.”  
“We?”  
“My people.”  
“Your people..., her voice a reedy whisper, Nala sat back in her chair.  
“Yes. I am Asgardian..” Brenna smiled, taken aback by the pride she felt with her statement.  
Nala felt a rush of adrenaline. She knew the name Asgard from somewhere, “I was adopted when I was a month old.”  
“Have you ever met your real parents?”  
Nala shook her head, “Never.”  
Brenna nodded, sympathetic, “I did not meet my real parents until I was seven and I was not told they were my parents until I reached ten seasons.”  
Nala put her fingers to her temples, “Look, no one knows who my real parents are...how could you...”  
“My father told me things about the Jotun. They do not feel the cold. They are a race of giants...their world...”  
“Okay, alright, their world? Like another planet?”  
Brenna tilted her head, “I do not know the word planet. Jotunheim is another realm.”  
Nala was suddenly dizzy, “Then how did I come to be here if that's the case?”  
Brenna shrugged, “I confess I know not. I only know what I see before me.”  
Nala put her hands on the table, they were trembling, “I don't suppose you would have pictures of these...” She paused, “Giants?”  
Brenna smiled and was about to draw the Uruz out of her dress when there came a knock on the door. They both turned to see Chase and Brian standing there.   
“We came to fetch the new girl.” Chase winked at Brenna.  
“We were sent to bring her to the commissary for supplies and shit.” Brian finished.  
“Brian.” Nala shook her head as he clapped his hand over his mouth, “Brenna, you are excused.”  
Brenna grabbed her book and folder, following Chase and Brian from the classroom. Nala looked at her phone sitting on her desk, thought of Garrett. He was likely out taking Biscuit for a walk but she knew she would call him repeatedly until he answered. She had to talk to him.

Chase took one bag, Brian the other as they headed out of the commissary to her room. “So what did you get outta Miss Harding's class?” Chase prodded her.  
“I wish I knew. I managed to ken the map that was in the book because you showed me around beforehand. I found that there are times for everything from meals to classes, to bed. I do not know how I will remember it all. I mean the names of the places and the people...”  
She put her bags on the dressing table and chair in her room.  
“So you thinking on staying huh?” Brian sat down on the bed while she and Chase emptied the bags.  
“Yes, I would be a fool to pass up an opportunity to attend your...,” Brenna squeezed her eyes shut, searching for the word, “...school. I want to learn all about this world.”  
“A word of advice, don't try too hard getting top marks and shit or they gonna expect it from you all the time.” Brian stood and held out his hands, “Here pile me up with stuff. I'll put it where it goes.” Chase handed him a bag and started dropping things into it. Toothpaste and a brush, deodorant, a bar of soap, a bottle of shampoo. When he set a package of sanitary pads on the pile, Brenna stared at the package asking what they were used for. Brian chuckled as Chase stammered his way through an explanation and she replied, “We always used a folded cloth tied at our waists to catch our flow.”   
Brian had to laugh out loud as Chase covered her mouth with his hand.  
“We don't talk about that stuff out loud, geez.”  
The small writing desk by the window in her room was the repository for a package of pens and pencils and a few notebooks, a pair of scissors, a set of brightly colored markers and a drawing pad she'd been attracted to. She looked at the clock Chase had told her to pick up and handed it to him.   
“Our timepieces are wound. You must make it work. I do not know how.”  
Chase returned to the desk and pulled out the scissors to open the packaging. “I'll set it for you.”  
A hard knock on the door made them jump. Brian opened it to find one of the student hall monitors, a boy named Jaden, standing there. “Miss Munroe wants to see the new student in the Great Room.”

 

The woman with white hair was talking heatedly with Fury, her back turned to him, gesturing around the room. Every few minutes, Fury would give him a look. Finally Loki stopped paying attention. He only wished to put an end to the whole affair and return home with his family intact. He turned to Thor and Stark who stood back from him, watching, and he felt a maddening urge to start pacing as they waited for Brenna to appear.

Brenna, Chase and Brian trotted down the main staircase that led to the large foyer. The Great room was to their left and they could see Miss Munroe talking to a dark man wearing an eyepatch over one eye though his other eye made up in intensity for its missing twin. He was dressed all in black, short black leather jacket, black jersey and black pants. He stood hands upon his hips listening to a clearly agitated Miss Munroe.  
They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, “Anybody you know?” Brian asked her.  
“Not at all. Could he be another professor?”  
Chase and Brian shook their head.  
“He ain't no professor I ever seen.” Brian replied.  
As they started forward towards the archway into the Great room, she felt all at once as if the air had been sucked from the room when she spied her Uncle Thor standing beside a short man with dark brown short hair and dark glasses. She turned her head to the left. Near the fireplace stood her father, arms at his side, hands working into fists. She locked eyes with him and the strength nearly went out of her legs.  
She had seen him angry before. He had yelled at her numerous times but the look on his face at this point was pure unbridled rage. Even from feet away, she could see his chest heaving as if he'd just run a race, mouth open, eyes following her every move. She wanted to bolt from the room, out the front door and keep running until she dropped. Behind her she heard Brian whisper to Chase, “Jesus, dude, you see who's standing here..in our..?” Suddenly Miss Munroe was ushering them out of the room, “Go on you two. This is private.”  
Brenna wanted desperately to keep Chase with her. She froze in place, her feet refusing to carry her any closer to her father who was now striding towards her. He stopped before her and in an even, flat voice said, “Give it to me.”  
Her throat felt as dry as if she had swallowed sand. “Father, I do not..”  
His hand shot forward, opened up before her, “GIVE IT TO ME!”  
His shout echoed through the room and at once she knew what he was asking. She couldn't get the Uruz from around her neck fast enough, dropping it in his outstretched hand and backing away a couple steps as he gripped the medallion hard into his palm.   
“You have not earned the right to wear this, and you most certainly do not deserve it now!”  
He slipped it around his neck dropping it beneath the collar of his shirt but his eyes never left hers, “What were you thinking, if you were thinking at all? You took something you had no right to.”  
“Mama said it would be mine someday...I..”  
“YOU HAD NO RIGHT!” He crossed the distance between them in an instant and she teetered backwards, “What if you had made a mistake? What if you had been taken by the dregs of humanity that inhabit this realm? The drunkards, the criminals, humans who lie in wait to prey upon a young girl such as yourself.”  
Brenna frowned, “I would not have gone with them.”  
Her father laughed once, grabbing her by the arm, “It would have happened so swiftly, you would not have known the difference. Foolish, foolish girl! Now come, you have many people to apologize to. We will discuss this incident in the privacy of our home.” He turned and began to pull her from the room but she wrested her arm from his grasp, backing away from him,  
“No, Father. I am staying here.”  
At first he stared as if she were talking another language, then took a step towards her again, “You are most certainly not staying here. Do you wish to break your mother's heart, and in her condition? She insisted upon coming with me to this accursed realm. Even now she waits in the city for me to deliver you to her safely.”  
Brenna gasped. Her mother was here? “Where is she?”  
Loki started for her, “Somewhere safe. Now stop this insanity and let us go!”  
Nothing had changed. Brenna stared at her father's outstretched hand. He was not happy to have found her. He was not relieved that she was well. He was angry with her. He would always be angry with her. If she returned to Rialo he would never trust her again. She would be a prisoner in her own house.  
“No, I refuse to return to Asgard! I refuse to return to the life of a peasant farmer! I would rather stay in the palace, I would rather live in Jotunheim than suffer myself to endure another day beneath the same roof with you!”  
His anger was threatening to overwhelm him.  
“This is all because I would not allow you to return to Asgard, that I did not wish to see you ruined by the intrigues of palace life. Because we wanted you home. Well, princess,” he spat, “look around you. These strangers whom you call friend after little more than a day? They would be beneath you, commoners, peasants themselves. You know nothing of being a royal, you would be sorely out of place in the palace.”  
Brenna had never been so enraged in her life. If her father had set out to mortify her, he'd done a fine job and the next words from her mouth were delivered without any forethought. “Mother was a commoner once and you took her just the same!”  
The force of his hand across her cheek made her bite her tongue hard. Her head swimming, she tasted blood, shock overtaking her at the first time her father had ever laid a hand on her in anger. She stood there, hand across her mouth, face burning with shame.  
“How DARE you speak of your mother in such a way!”   
Brenna looked about the room at the others, forgotten until now, watching them as they tried hard to melt into the woodwork. Tony and Fury, however, were staring at her intently, perhaps waiting for her next reaction but it was her father who stepped up.  
“I now know what it is I must do. You will not, in fact, return with me. You will remain here on Midgard. Learn their ways, experience their barbary firsthand,see how cruel they can be, and when you long to come back home, know that you must wait for us to come to you, that we will not be at your beck and call. If it is your wish to escape the only life you have known, so be it.”  
She kept her gaze trained on the floor. She would not look at his face, refusing to watch the angry tears as they coursed down his cheeks, his countenance soften and crumble before he turned and strode from the room without another word. As his footsteps rang out in the foyer and the front door opened, she collapsed onto the floor, her face in her hands, sobbing. At the touch of a hand on her back, she shrieked, “Leave me alone!” shrugging it off but the hand returned and she looked up to see Chase standing over her. She flung her arms around his neck as he lifted her from the floor and let her bury her face in his chest.

Loki managed to make it outside before his legs betrayed him and he knelt with a roar, his hands pressed against the cold metal of the limousine. He heard Stark whisper, “A farmer, he's a damn farmer?” to whom he cared not. Nothing had prepared him for this, for the flood of grief that had come with doing what he thought was right. The all consuming panic he felt leaving her here a world away from home.  
He knelt there, fist pounding the side of the limo, praying for Brenna to come running out of the school behind him crying “Papa, please let me come home.” He would have enfolded her in his arms, kissed her cheek and granted her every little request and then he thought of her words, the wounds they had opened in his heart. She had called her mother a commoner, had taken the Uruz with no regard for its meaning or its power, preferring the company of these Midgardians to her own family. He forced himself to stand, turning to see them staring at him, his brother, Fury, Stark, the woman with the white hair and he found no words within him. He looked at the limo driver who had been holding open the door for him and he crawled inside to slump against the far window.  
“A farmer, sorry, just can't wrap my mind around it.” Stark muttered.  
Fury glared at him, “Shut the fuck up,” as he let himself down in the front seat, “Miss Munroe, I will be in contact with you as soon as we arrive back in New York.”  
Ororo gave a nod, her head still reeling, trying to absorb what had just happened in the Great Room as she watched the limo pull away down the long drive. Then she turned and headed inside to deal with the other half of the problem.


	17. 17

Eidra had been greatly relieved when Lily returned to sit with her but as time wore on, she became increasingly worried.  
“Do you know where they were going?” She asked Lily.  
“I do but I don't quite know how far away it is. I know they left during rush hour in the city so you have to figure in extra time for that.”  
Eidra had started to pace, absently rubbing her belly for comfort. She was about to inquire again if they should be back yet when they heard voices in the hall. Eidra turned to see the door slide open and Loki walk in, followed by Thor and Fury.   
“Where is Brenna? Did you not find her?” Eidra put a hand to her mouth.  
Loki would not meet her gaze as he strode toward the bedroom door, eager to rid himself of his Midgardian garments.  
“We found her.”  
Eidra stared at Thor and Fury who were standing by the door, “Then where is she?”  
She looked back to Loki, “Lok,i where is Brenna?”  
He stopped at the bedroom doorway, lifted the Uruz from about his neck, clasping it in his hand.  
“She is at a Midgardian school.”  
“Sch...school? What?...”  
“A place of learning for Migardian children..” his words sounded inane, hollow as he pivoted about to continue into the bedroom but Eidra sailed up to him, taking the front of his shirt in her hands, “You promised me you would bring her back!”  
Lily wished she were anywhere else but here at this moment. Emotional outbursts made her stomach turn. She had also started to develop a liking for Eidra. She glanced over at Thor and Fury who seemed in the middle of a heated but quiet discussion then returned her attention to Eidra who was trying desperately to pry open Loki's right hand.  
“Let me have it, I will fetch her!” Eidra cried, “I should never have let you do this. She would have come back with me.”  
He held her at bay with one hand as he slipped the Uruz in his pants pocket. It was then that she started to beat him about the chest, shrieking in anger and frustration, “Damn you, do not do this to me!”  
He stood there, impassive, letting her vent her anger upon him and when he'd had all he could stand, he wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly.  
She struggled to free herself, thrashing, pushing at his chest until he whispered in a voice hoarse with emotion, “My heart, the baby, please,” and with a wail she slumped forward against him, her head on his shoulder as she sobbed.  
“The decision to leave her there at the school was not made lightly,” he stroked her hair, “But to bring her back home against her will would only embitter her. She would run again.” he felt Eidra shake her head as he continued, “She must learn where she truly belongs through experience.”  
“But here on Mid...Midgard?” came her muffled reply.  
“It was her choice.”  
Eidra leaned back to look up at him, “Oh Loki, she is barely fifteen seasons. She knows so little of the world outside home. Who will care for her? What of Fen, what will we tell him? And Helgi...?”  
Behind her, Lily heard another snippet of conversation between Fury and Thor, “.....war criminal, he can't come and go as he pleases....”  
Loki stroked Eidra's cheek, gathering her tears along his thumb, “She cannot last long there at the school. Thor has sworn to check on her. You will see. Before the next full moon, she will be home.”  
Eidra lay her head back to his shoulder, “I pray you are right, I cannot bear to be away from her, not after it took so long for us to be reunited..”  
“Brother,” Thor had approached them and was standing at Loki's side, “There are some things we must discuss before our departure.”  
Loki nodded to Eidra, “Stay here.”   
At first she held his shirt tight but he put his hands gently atop hers, “Please,”  
Fury gestured towards the door and Eidra loosed her grip then.   
“You will know what I know, you have my word,” he leaned over pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead, “And soon we shall be back on Asgard.”  
As he reached the door, she put her hands to her face, felt a gentle hand on her back. It was Lily. Eidra shook her head as Lily guided her to the couch.   
“Oh Lily, how will I tell everyone what has happened. How?”

 

Brenna sat for the better part of an hour in Miss Munroe's office waiting for her to return. As she sat there, she played the whole scene over and over in her mind. Her father's rage, the hurtful things she'd said to him. She had nearly run outside after him to apologize but she was sure he would insist she go back to Asgard with him and so she'd stayed in the Great room. She was determined to remain here on Midgard.  
She could not deny, though, that she had been happy to see him even as angry as he had been. In truth she had not expected her father to find her at all. Brenna hated to admit that she was homesick. She desperately wanted to see her mother, even her little worm of a brother.  
The door to Miss Munroe's office opened and she walked over to the couch where Brenna was sitting. She sighed as she sat down beside her. “Young lady, you've caused enough excitement in one day to have the whole school talking.”  
“I am sorry,” Brenna hung her head. “I did not expect my father to come looking for me.”  
“Now why would you think like that. He's your father isn't he? If it were my child who'd run off to another....world...god it sounds so strange....I would move the heavens to find them.”  
“I cannot believe he would go so far to find me. I still cannot believe he came here.”  
“Well he did in a big way and now I have to deal with Fury on a regular basis. There's a prick if ever there was one.....excuse my language...”  
“Is he a difficult person?”  
Ororo smiled, “Yeah,you could say that.”  
“Would it be better if I returned to Asgard with my father?” She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the answer.  
“I don't know about better, it would be easier....you're just going to have to prove to me that I made the right decision by allowing you to stay.”  
Brenna sat forward, “How?”  
Ororo stood up from the couch and headed to her desk.  
“By behaving like a student. We are going to test you as Nala said, then we're going to teach you about this.....realm as you call it. I hope you will learn to move beyond the obvious prejudices your father has about Earth. We'll set up the tests for tomorrow and then the real work begins.”

 

Loki stood before the fireplace, watching Eidra rock Fen while he cried. They had, mercifully, returned to Rialo the evening before when Fen had long been abed. Helgi, however had set in her rocking chair, drying her tears with her apron when they told her Brenna was going to stay in Midgard. “The poor lamb, who is going to care for her? What schooling does she need? She is a woman, she needs to know how to keep a home, raise children. This she can learn here with us.”  
“In Midgard, the women share equal status with the men. They hold the same positions. They are schooled in history, arithmetic, science,” Loki murmured.  
Helgi had shaken her head, “Preposterous! Let the men to be scholars. Why does a woman need to be schooled so? What will she do with such knowledge when she returns to Asgard?”  
Eidra confessed that she did not know, keeping her fear, that she was not sure if Brenna would decide to come back, to herself.

Eidra shifted Fen on her lap and continued to rock him as he sniffled,“But when is Bren coming home?”  
Eidra rubbed his back, “I do not know. When we visit her, you may ask her,” She glanced at Loki, desperate for help.  
Finally he could bear it no longer. He took his cloak from the peg by the door and headed outside to the barn.  
. He had failed.  
Eidra tried to reassure him that he had done nothing wrong but he could recall with perfect clarity, Brenna's words, that she would rather stay on Midgard than return home with him. He had indeed failed and for far longer than just the last month. More painful than this was that he could see no way to remedy it. He could not make up for the seasons they had lost, for his misgivings as a parent. His inability to bond with her no matter what he did.   
When she had said she would remain on Midgard , he knew then that he had no other recourse. He pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes. What if she never changed, what if she never returned to Asgard? He looked up at Blackberry who had come over to shove her nose against his shoulder. He stroked the velvet of her nose, gazing through the barn doors to the cottage for a long moment then lifted the saddle from the stall wall. “Let's pay Chris a visit shall we?”

 

When Miss Munroe sent them away after they'd accompanied Brenna to the Great room, Brian had been unable to control himself. He and Chase stopped at the upper landing of the main staircase to listen to the conversation between Brenna and the man she was currently addressing as “father”. At that point, they were shouting at each other.  
“Dude, did you see who was standing there? In our school?” Brian had him by one arm.  
“Yeah,” Chase held up his hand, “Now shut up, I'm trying to hear what they're saying.”  
But Brian continued on, “Tony fucking Stark! He's worth billions, man, billions. I wonder if he'd be interested in adopting a son? And Thor, that is one big boy right there. Two Avengers, two...here in our school!”  
Chase reached over and slapped his hand across Brian's mouth, “Jesus, shut up!”  
Brian put his hands in the air, mumbled something, Chase took his hand away, “Now just shh...listen.”  
They exchanged glances as they heard a slap resound through the foyer. They crept as far down the stairs as they dared, leaning over the railing, and were still in the same position when moments later, the man Brenna had been talking to strode past the stairs, passing only feet below them. Brian grabbed Chase's arm again, shaking him as the man walked out the front door, followed shortly by Stark and Thor who called out to him, “Loki, wait!”  
They watched open mouthed as Fury and Ororo exited the room close behind, Ororo fixing them with a glare as she closed the door behind her.  
“We shoulda hid better.” Chase muttered as Brian shook him yet again, “Dude you gots a whole lot more trouble than Miss Munroe. You heard Thor on his way out?”  
Chase was peering into the Great room as he headed down the stairs to check on Brenna but he stopped. “What?”  
“You sweet on the Devil's daughter. Her daddy none other than Loki.”  
Chase stared at him as Brian rolled his eyes, “You and her make a good couple, you both clueless.”  
Brian trotted down the stairs after him, “Her daddy is the badass who busted up New York 'bout ten years back.”  
Chase leaned over the railing again. He could see Brenna kneeling on the floor. He looked up at Brian. “I know who he is and I don't give a shit. I'm not going to just leave her there all upset. Whats he going to do to me anyway? If you noticed, he didn't exactly make the trip alone. ”  
Brian eyed the front door as Chase ran through the foyer into the Great room, “Dude you stone cold crazy,” he muttered as he followed suit seconds later.

Ororo sat at her desk, the results of Brenna's tests spread out before her. She was getting a tension headache. It wasn't the stress of having a student that was obviously in need of a lot of schooling, nor the fact that her father was a volatile psycopath and a war criminal. It wasn't even the fact that she was now going to have to provide Fury with regular updates on the girl's whereabouts, her curriculum and her progress. It wasn't any one thing, it was the whole situation altogether. She couldn't expel her based solely on how difficult her presence was going to make her job. Lord knows she'd dealt with more than one special student in the past. She put her head down on her desk.  
Kurt reclined in one of the easy chairs, legs crossed, staring out at the rain sheeting down the large window panes. “Ororo, it is not all bad.”  
“It's like taking someone out of a tribe in the Amazon and setting them down in the middle of New York, maybe they know our language, maybe they can read but the culture shock is overwhelming.”  
Kurt closed the book he'd left open in his lap, “She is smart, according to der tests.”  
Ororo shook her head, “Oh she's bright, no doubt about that. Did you read the creative writing exercise I gave her? I asked her to write about a typical day in her life. Of course like every teenager, she complained about her chores. Her wording was a bit archaic, she talks like she writes. Only it was the information she gave that tells me we're going to have to start from the beginning if she's writing the truth.”  
“How so?”   
Ororo handed the essay across her desk, smiling as he started to peruse it.  
“She wrote her day as if she was living on a farm in the seventeenth century at best. She talked about wagons, plows, chamberpots, latrines, cooking over a fireplace, pumping water. She's a walking anachronism.”  
“It's not so unusual. Der Mennonites and der Amish are a whole community of anachronisms.”  
Ororo gave him a look, “Kurt, she's not Amish.”  
“I know, I know....so vat do you suggest?”  
Ororo ran her hands through her hair, “Well we can't exactly place her in an elementary classroom, it's not a matter of ABC's and 123's it's a matter of culture clash.”  
Kurt handed the papers back to Ororo and folded his hands beneath his chin. “Vat about tutoring? I could give up some fencing classes to Matthew. He is practically teaching half der class himself now.”  
“Nala could help her with math. I'd have to ask if she had free time for it. She and Garrett are trying to have a baby.”  
“So dass is der best course of action for now.” Kurt rose from the chair and stretched, “Now comes the hard part, where to start.”

“American History?” Brenna read the title aloud, her voice echoing in the silence of the school library. She sat across from Professor Wagner at a desk near a tall window with a commanding view of the lake.   
Kurt nodded, “Ja, I figured vat better place to start your education den to learn about where you are. World history will come later.”  
She picked up the next book in the stack, “Pop culture? What does that mean?”  
Kurt took the book from her and opened it. “It is short for Popular culture. This will help you to assimilate into our culture, der subjects we talk about each day, and,” he handed her a magazine from the pile, “Newsweek, this I expect you to read each week, der main stories at der very least. Dan I will test you on your knowledge.”  
Brenna put a hand to her forehead. “There is so much to learn.”  
Kurt tapped the pile of books, “And this is just der tip of der iceberg.”  
“What does that mean? Tip of the iceberg?”  
Kurt nodded, “Ah, this is vat Ororo meant. An iceberg is piece of ice das floats on water, it is little above der water but bigger below so we call something that starts out little but is actually a big thing, the tip of der iceberg.”  
Brenna smiled, “I ken, you mean there is much more for me to learn that just what is here.”  
Kurt clapped his hands together, “Ah, let there be light.”  
She started to ask him what he'd meant but he held up his hand, “Later, now let us continue.”

 

When Loki arrived, Sally gave him a hug and held him at arms length as Chris waved him over to the bed where he lay, “We've been so worried. Where was Brenna? You found her did you not?”   
Loki nodded as he sat down heavily upon the coverlet at Chris's feet and proceeded to tell them what had happened, Sally interjecting with gasps and cries, Chris waving impatiently at her as he listened.   
“You did what you thought was right.” Chris reached over and patted his knee.   
“Do you think I did the right thing, though?” He looked sideways at Chris who chuckled ruefully.  
“My boy, I've no basis for comparison. We never had children. What do you think?”  
Loki fussed with the hem of his tunic, “I suspect I will not know whether I was right until some time has passed. I must confess I am heartsick in the extreme.”  
“ 'Tis always hard when they leave the nest, lad. Especially your firstborn.”  
“And at such a tender age,” Sally moaned.  
“ How is Fen taking it?” Chris pulled himself up to sit at the edge of the bed, “He followed her about like a shadow.”  
“Quite hard, I am afraid. He was inconsolable when we told him this morning. This more than anything makes me wonder if I have made the wrong choice.”  
Chris sat up, “Change is inevitable. He will learn this too in time, he's a strong lad. What of Eidra, is she holding up well? Her time is drawing near is it not?”  
“Two more moons.” A ghost of a smile played around his lips and Chris mirrored it.  
“Ah, a joyous occasion. You must now turn your thoughts to the rest of your family and trust God to protect and guide Brenna.”  
Loki shook his head, “If you must, send prayers to your God. I will send offerings up to mine.”  
“I surely shall, and I will ask him to forgive your unintentional slight.”  
Loki patted Chris's shoulder, “Please do, for I fear I will need all the help I can get.”


	18. 18

Chase had threatened Brian with bodily harm if he so much as hinted at Brenna about what happened in the Great Room.   
She had poured out her heart to Chase when he had found her on the floor after the encounter. How her father was Thor's brother, that he had been a prince but had renounced his title as such to marry her mother and live a quiet life in Rialo. The fact that she had not known her parents for the first six years of her life and whenever she would ask them about where they had been all that time, they would brush her off, promising to tell her when she was older. She had even told him about the visit to the palace in Asgard which had prompted her to run away in the first place. By the time she had finished, Chase was reasonably certain she had no idea about her father's past.  
“I cannot believe he came to look for me.” She sat curled up on the couch, her arms wrapped about her legs as she leaned back against Chase.  
“What do you mean? He's your father, that's what normal parents do.”  
She snorted derisively, “They try to control every aspect of your life?”  
“Uh, yeah....they tell you what to wear, where to go to school, what friends you can have, where you go and where you don't. How much money you have, that is unless you have a job.”  
“Well I do not wish to be controlled. I wish to be on my own.”  
Chase chuckled, “You and every other teenager. I'd be shocked to shit if my dad came looking for me. What about your mother?”  
“What about her?” She craned her head around.  
“Well is she the same way? She agree with your dad?”  
“He does mostly whatever she says,” she frowned, “Save for the larger problems. Then my father is the one with the final say.”  
“So she's basically in charge huh?”  
“I suppose,” She hunched forward, sighed, “I miss her terribly.”  
“You don't miss your dad?”  
She hesitated for so long, he was on the verge of repeating the question when she responded.  
“No,” She set her chin on her knees, “I am sure he is of the same mind as I. Better to be rid of an impertinent child, he would say. My mother likely had to beg him to come find me.” She knew deep down it was nowhere near the truth but she was going to make every effort to convince herself otherwise.  
She turned around to sit upright, “What about your mother, does your father do what she says?” She was startled when Chase started to laugh so hard, tears sprang from his eyes.  
“My mother and father have been divorced since I was like four years old!” He bent forward, holding his stomach, “Oh that hurts, I haven't laughed like that in forever.”  
“Divorced, do you mean they dissolved their union?” Brenna put her hands at her hips as this brought on a fresh spate of laughter.   
“Dissolved their union...wow it sounds more serious when you say it like that. Yeah I'll say they did. My mom left with a few million in the settlement.”  
“Settlement....A few million what? Explain...”  
Chase tried to stop giggling long enough to answer her, “Dollars, money, you know?”  
“Like coin of the realm. I ken,” she paused as the amount sunk into her mind, “Millions? So much coin. I do not know even if my uncle, the King, possesses such wealth.”  
“I bet he does,” Chase pointed at her, “My mother got a lot of money and alimony to boot. She's living the high life in a place where they've never even seen a snow shovel.”  
“Where does she reside?”  
Chase wrinkled his nose, “Saint Croix, the last I knew. I haven't seen her in about a year.”  
“I cannot imagine being away from my family for an entire year.”  
Chase sat forward on the couch, “Well you got a couple of days good start.”  
She folded her arms, “They will come to see me, Mama will insist.”  
“You sound pretty sure.”  
Her smile hid the nagging worry that her father, in his anger, would forbid them from visiting her.  
“I am.”

Before long, as it must, the routine on the farm resumed. Fen was somber, much quieter than his usual ebullient self. Loki kept him by his side as often as he could, not only because he needed the help more than ever around the farm now that Brenna was gone, but because he feared Fen would slip into a permanent melancholy if left to his own thoughts and after a couple of weeks, Fen seemed to come around.   
It was during the third week of Sól-mánuðr, when Fen and Loki were out in one of the fields cutting hay, that Sally came riding at a full gallop down the path, calling to them. Loki didn't hear her at first and it was Fen who yelled, “Papa, Sally is at the edge of the field.”  
Loki had been bending down to toss a bale into the back of the wagon. He stood up, shielding his eyes from the sun to see Sally waving wildly at him. “Loki! Come quick!”  
By the time he reached her, Sally had dismounted and was standing there beside the horse, hands to her chest.   
“Loki, Chris has had a fall! He insisted on trying to help me this morning gather eggs and do the milking and ye know he's not been getting around well. He was leaning over on his cane putting eggs in a basket and I looked away for a moment when I heard him call my name, only it sounded strange. I turned to see what was wrong and he was lying on the ground!”  
Within minutes, Loki had unhitched Blackberry, set Fen before him and was pushing the mare as hard as she would run, one arm tight around Fen's waist.  
He was off the horse almost before she stopped. “Fen you stay here on the horse, ken?”  
“But Papa, I want to help. I want to see..”  
“Fen, do as I say!” Loki pointed at him as he followed Sally out behind the cottage to the chicken coop.  
“Aw....” Fen crossed his arms as his father and Sally disappeared around the side of the cottage.

Chris had pulled himself up to a sitting position at the side of the coop and had his hand over his heart, head turned towards the sunrise when Loki knelt beside him. “My friend, you scared the life out of your beloved.”  
Chris turned his head to smile and Loki could see at once there was something terribly wrong with him. One side of his face had slackened and even as he tried to speak, the words came out garbled, almost incomprehensible, “I'b sorr...”  
Loki took one of his arms, “Sally, you take the other and let us try to get him inside.”  
“Papa, is Uncle Chris alright?” Fen's tremulous voice came from behind him.  
Loki had started to pull on Chris's arm, “I thought I told...hnnh...you to stay on...the horse.”  
“I am sorry, Papa.” Fen was at his side at once trying to pull with him.  
“No, Fen, fetch his cane for him, there on the ground.”  
They had his feet under him after a minute but Loki could feel that there was little strength in them as they headed towards the cottage. 

They let him down gently into a chair before the fireplace. “Let's get him out of his dirty clothes.” Sally started to untie his tunic but he made to slap at her hands with one arm, the other dangling at his side. “..oman, indec..t.”  
Loki watched Sally step back, tears shining in her eyes, “Chris, Sally wants to clean you up, change you into clean garments. You fell in the mud. Come now, man. It will be alright.”  
Chris turned his head jerkily towards Loki, attempting to smile again, “....you ..ill”  
Thereafter, he allowed his breeches to be drawn off and his tunic raised over his head until he was dressed only in his undergarments. Fen stayed back in a corner, hands clasped before him as he watched them tend to Chris. “Will he be alright, Papa?”  
Loki's eyes flitted to Sally's face, “Yes, Fen now hush, be a good boy and go draw down the bedcovers for your uncle will you?”  
Sally drew a basin of water and proceeded to clean Chris's face, hands, his hair of the mud and dirt, he staring at her all the while, his countenance blank. When they started to lift him up to bring him to the bed he became suddenly agitated, fighting them so that Sally nearly lost her grip. Finally, however, they managed to get him into the bedchamber and sit him down. Loki could see he was struggling for words, “...ork...to..be...”  
Sally shook her head, “Oh my plum pudding, be still. The chores will be done. I'll send Fen to ....” She put her hand to her mouth, unable to finish her sentence.  
As she was drawing the covers up to Chris's chest, Loki put a hand at her back, “I will fetch the physician from town. I would rather it were Clotho instead of Petter but Chris needs immediate attention,” He turned to Fen, “I will return soon, stay and help Sally.”  
Fen nodded, folding himself into Sally's skirts. She put her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close.   
“I will be back straightaway.”

 

Petter was a homely young man, short, sallow with a slight paunch. He had apprenticed under his father, Alder, and, Loki thought, acted too entirely full of himself at his tender age. Whereas Alder, like Clotho, would patiently explain himself and was of a general good nature, Petter was more apt to wear his impatience like a fine robe, with haughty indifference.   
He held Chris's wrist, his lips moving soundlessly. Then he leaned over, peering first into his right eye, lifting the lid of the left one in turn. “You say he was was gathering eggs, then he started to speak strangely and fell to the ground?”   
Sally nodded, “I thought at first it was his heart.”  
Petter put a hand on Chris's forehead, “And you noticed no convulsions? No vomiting? Sweats?”  
“None, can ye help him?”  
“Well it is obvious something is wrong.” Petter clasped his hands together across his belly.  
“Do not tell us what we already know, Alderson, “Loki grumbled, “What can be done for him?”  
Petter looked down his nose at Loki, “Indeed....well it is apparent that he has suffered a bout of apoplexy. Note the paralysis on the left side of his body, his speech is confounded, he acts confused. When I last saw him for the infected cut on his foot, I warned that he should alter his diet for his girth was going to be his downfall.”  
Sally patted her stomach, suddenly self conscious, she too had put on some weight since their arrival in Asgard, but she defended him, “He was a baker. Good food is his life, sure and ye would deny him the one thing he might still enjoy?”  
Petter gestured at Chris who had dozed off. “And you would have him thus?”  
Loki stepped forward to stand beside Sally, “Petter, your bedside manner is sorely lacking.”  
“Because I speak the truth?” Petter sniffed indignantly, hand at his chest.  
“No, because you speak too harshly. You are without tact. Temper your words. Can you not see the woman is beside herself?” Sally nodded in agreement with Loki.   
Petter peered at them, muttered, “Indeed,” as he walked out into the common room grabbed his satchel from the table before the fire, and brought it back to set on the bed. He opened it and began rummaging through the contents, bringing out a linen packet and handing it to Sally.   
“Now this is willow bark tea. Give him one cup in the morning and one in the evening, you may sweeten to taste with honey.”   
He returned to his satchel, producing a small dark green bottle, holding it up to the sunlight pouring in through the bedchamber window. “This is elderberry syrup. I recommend two teaspoons daily.” Sally nodded then turned as they heard a grunt from Chris who was struggling to push himself upright.   
Petter walked to the bedside and put his hands on Chris's shoulders to stay his effort, “Calm yourself,” he said in an overloud voice, “You need your rest!” He looked at Sally, “I would also recommend a session of bloodletting, just to balance the humours.”  
Chris grunted again, mumbled, “.....utcher...”  
Petter tilted his head, “I cannot ken what you said,” he glanced at Sally, “What did he say?”  
Sally shrugged, looking to Loki who was now biting his lip, doing his best not to smile, “I believe he called you a butcher.”  
Loki caught Chris's eye and saw Chris give him a lopsided smile.  
“Preposterous! I will have you know that bloodletting has helped a number of my patients..”  
Chris spat out, “...ictms....”  
Before Petter could turn to him, Loki had slipped out of the bedchamber door to laugh, with as much good humor as relief. His friend may have been down but he was most certainly not out yet. A moment later, Petter sailed through the room and out the front door, his satchel beneath his arm. Fen was right behind him. He ran to a window to watch Petter mount his horse and trot off down the road.  
Sally left the bedchamber shaking her head, “Ye instigate him so. Ye are both devils.” A hint of a smile played on her lips, “I'd not have told him to shut it for all the gold in the world though. Do ye think he'll be alright, Loki?”  
He looked through the doorway into the bedchamber where Chris lay, fussing with his coverlet.  
“I shall send a courier to the palace to consult with Clotho. He may have some other elixirs Petter does not. I must return home. The sun is starting to set and Eidra will surely have been looking for us. I would send her over to sit with you...”  
“No, she needs to take care of herself with that baby. The last thing she needs is to play nursemaid.”  
“Were Brenna home she could stay with you...,” he pursed his lips, stopping himself, “I shall return after I get the chores finished for the evening. Helgi will stay with Eidra.”  
He saw the gratitude in her eyes even though she protested, “Loki she needs ye as well.”  
“She is stronger than you think, Sally.”  
She took his hand and squeezed it, “Oh no, she is stronger than we both think.”

 

Eidra looked out the window by the door for the fifteenth time.   
“I am sure they are just trying to finish what they can for the day,” Helgi turned her work, pulled a length of yarn slack, “Sit, child.”  
“It is nearly meal time, they are usually home by now, washing up,” She kept a hand on her belly. The baby as well had been cause for her agitation. It had not been moving as much though she knew there was little space for it now and she had become increasingly uncomfortable. Her back was often sore.  
She rocked in her chair for a short time, picked up her knitting, set it down and stood up again.  
“Eidra, you needs must sit. Do you wish me to tie you down?” Helgi had risen to tend the kettle over the fire, now stood one hand on her hip and a spoon in the other, about to chase her from the window when Eidra cried, “They are back, thank the gods!”  
She flung open the door just as Fen reached it and wrapped his arms around her waist as far as he could. Now more than ever, he had to be in the presence of any one of the three of them. If Fen were alone in the cottage with Eidra and she went outside to fetch a couple of eggs or pick some flowers for the table, he was right at her heels. It was as if he feared they would disappear if he let them out of his sight.  
“Mama, Uncle Chris is sick!” Fen cried, breathless. Eidra patted his back as she looked up at Loki.  
“Chris is sick? What happened?”  
Loki hung his cloak on the peg by the door, “Sally came to the field this morning to find me. Chris had fallen out by the chicken coop and she could not get him up. I fetched Petter from Rialo,”  
“I do not like him.” Eidra put her head up to receive his kiss, “What did he think was wrong?”  
“He believes it was apoplexy, I must say I am inclined to agree. I have seen it before.”  
Eidra gasped, “Oh no, how bad is he?”  
Loki hesitated, composing himself as he thought of his dear friend lying there nearly speechless, “He seems unable to move anything on his left side, he could not walk without assistance and he was almost struck dumb though he did manage to get a few words out for the doctor.” Loki smiled, the scene still amusing him as it played out in his head.  
Eidra walked to the hutch. Pulling open one of the drawers, she took out a large linen towel and laid it open on the table. “I will bring them something to eat. Cooking will surely be the last thing on her mind. I will sit with her tonight.”  
Loki took her hand, “I shall bring the food and sit with them tonight. You are in no condition to ride, nor do you need to sit up until sunrise.”   
“They need my help..,” Eidra shook her head but Loki took her chin in his hand.  
“The baby is of the utmost importance now. Please, my heart, I promise I will make every effort to keep him comfortable.”  
Eidra lay her head on his chest, “I feel useless.”  
“Nonsense, you are with child, you are performing the most wondrous task nature hath wrought; being a mother. Now take your seat. We will set the table and eat, then I will go to Chris.”


	19. 19

The flat tone of the alarm clock, the sound Brenna had come to loathe in the few short weeks she'd been at the school, drove her from a dream filled sleep. For once, however, she was grateful for the interruption.   
She had been dreaming that she was back on Asgard. Home, but yet, not home. She could see her father and mother, Fen and Helgi all working in the fields, talking and laughing but she stood apart from them, watching them from high above. She chanced to look down at herself, saw she was wearing a fine blue gown.A heavy royal blue cloak was draped over her shoulders, pale blue gloves on her hands which held the reins of the horse she was sitting astride. She heard a whicker beside her and turned to see her uncle, dressed every part the king, sitting on another horse. He had returned the glance and grunted, “Come, we must go, you have seen enough.”   
As he canted his horse to the left, she looked again to the fields but was anguished to find her family nowhere to be seen.  
She lay there staring at the ceiling for a long time, trying to rid herself of the terrible empty feeling the dream had left her with.  
Finally, she had risen, washed up, dressed and was waiting outside her quarters with her backpack by the time Chase arrived to walk her to the Great Hall for the morning meal. On the way she told him about her dream.  
“You were dressed all in blue, huh? Maybe you were sad. Maybe you miss home more than you think.”  
Brenna frowned, “What does the color of my dress have to do with my feelings?”  
“Well when someone is sad, we say they're feeling blue. It's color association, psychological crap.”  
“If that be the case, then Professor Wagner and Nala are perpetually unhappy.”  
Chase laughed, “Hey that's pretty good. Seriously though, I think you're just homesick.”  
“Well then there is nothing to be done for it. I cannot go home on my own.”   
She smiled at the service lady who handed her the usual bowl of oatmeal with a side of maple syrup. Further down the line, she grabbed an orange and a banana. She'd grown quite fond of them, never having had one while in Asgard. For food choices, fruit and vegetables were generally safe.  
She had learned the hard way that Midgardian food, while it tasted good for the most part, greatly disagreed with her. Brian was the one to hit upon the reason almost immediately.   
“Where you come from, they all natural Middle Ages shit. The chemicals and preservatives in the food here making you sick girl. You gots to go organic.”  
Chase had slapped his forehead, “God, I'm so stupid. I shoulda seen that right off.”  
Brian had just smiled, “That's why I gotsa A in Biology and you gotsa C.”  
Chase tried to accommodate her. When she had mentioned she loved chicken, he had gone so far as to borrow Brian's car and drive out to a local chicken farm where they raised free range chickens, laying in a supply for her in the staff kitchen's fridge.  
One afternoon they had driven to a farmer's market in Salem Center, after her mathematics class with Nala. She found she enjoyed math and Nala told her she had quite a knack for it.  
At the farmer's market, she had been transported with joy. She looked over the vegetables and fruits, putting them in a basket the market had provided. She had stopped to talk with the vendors, asking about their growing practices, the length of their seasons, fertilizers. Chase followed along patiently carrying the basket, gladly paying for the items though she had tried to offer him a handful of coins.  
“It is all I have.”  
Brian and Chase had marveled at the molded coins in sliver and bronze, with a couple dull gold discs mixed in. Chase had picked up and studied a silver coin as Brenna told him, “The mark is the symbol of The Allfather. Odin.”  
Chase had admired it so, Brenna said he could have it as a keepsake, saying he should have more if he liked in return for his generosity in paying for the produce. She had, with a little help and permission, cooked the three of them dinner in the staff kitchen. Chase had taught her about the oven and the burners and she had been duly amazed. Chase in turn had been suitably impressed that she could cook well. She had explained she'd been raised in the kitchen and learned to cook at an early age. So long as she kept to mostly preservative free foods, she was alright.

They spied an empty table near one of the windows that looked out over the grounds to the lake and sat down. “Where is Brian?”  
Chase pointed to a table across the way where Brian was sitting beside a pretty raven haired girl with emerald green eyes. She was dressed in a short skirt and a halter top and in Brenna's opinion, was entirely too made up. She would bat her eyes at Brian and he would grin from ear to ear.  
“She does not seem very trustworthy.”  
Chase took the salt shaker from the table, “I'd go rescue him but he's the type that's gotta learn the hard way.”  
A petite girl dressed in a short green jersey dress, her honey blond hair done in a chignon, pulled a chair up beside Brenna and sat down, “Bren, you look great today.”  
Brenna shook her head. She had chosen jeans and a gray short sleeved jersey with a scooped neckline. She was still trying to adjust to the different styles of clothing here on Midgard. She wished to fit in though, and if it meant dressing like a boy, so be it.  
“Has anyone been over for help today?”  
“No, Sophie, do not jinx it.”  
Sophie giggled, covered her mouth.   
Brenna's first week at the school had been a lonely one. She had talked mostly to Professor Wagner, Nala, Ororo, Chase or Brian. Everyone else kept their distance. If Chase or Brian weren't around during meal times, she would either sit at a table alone or eat in her room but things changed very quickly. Brenna had been finishing her evening meal when she heard a squeal and a crash. She looked in the direction of the commotion, spying a girl on the floor on her hands and knees, books splayed out before her. People were starting to help her pick them up and Brenna almost considered staying in her seat but then she heard the girl wail, “My glasses, my mother is going to flip, that's the third pair this year!”  
She had gotten up and walked over to where the girl stood with a pair of glasses in her hands. Brenna could see the frames were snapped in half and she paused. There were a number of students around her, then the girl put her head up and Brenna, struck by the look of pure despair in the girl's eyes, smiled though she said nothing at first. Finally Brenna held out her hand,  
“Pardon me, but....I think I may be able to help.”  
The girl had seemed confused as she handed her the glasses. Brenna set them down on a table beside them, putting the pieces of the frame back together drawing her fingers lightly over the spot where the two halves had separated. She saw, in her mind, the jagged edges of the plastic melding back together, atom reattaching to atom, pulling the frame back to its original shape, the crack in the glass of one lens glowing, reforming until the frames were whole again.  
“Here.” Brenna handed the glasses back to the girl who stood there aghast.  
“Thank you! Oh Thank you so much. You don't know how much bullshit you've saved me from!”  
Brenna had smiled, “You are welcome,” returning to her table but the girl and one other boy had followed her. That girl was Sophie, and the boy her friend Dylan. They had sat down beside her as Dylan produced an old CD case with a cracked cover from inside his backpack, asking her if she could repair the CD inside. He had opened the case to hand her a CD snapped in two. When she graciously fixed it, they had remained at the table and started talking to her.  
That next day, Sophie had brought another girl to her table with a small pair of earphones.   
“I wondered if you could fix something more complicated.”   
Brenna refrained from telling her how complicated the human body could be, not wanting to sound gruesome. She simply put her hands on the earphones, feeling the wire that had detached from the cold solder joint and within a second handed them back to the girl who plugged them into her MP3 player.  
“Oh wow, they sound even better than when I first got them, thanks a lot!”  
From then on, every day, people would come up to her and ask her to fix something. Rips in their clothes, at least the rips that weren't on purpose, broken electronics, and a whole range of other items. Suddenly Brenna found she was starting to tire easily. She would fall asleep while trying to do her homework, or sitting with Nala doing mathematics, even while eating. When she complained about being tired so often, Sophie had suggested she say no once in a while.   
“We expend energy while using our gifts. It only stands to reason that you're getting tired because you're using yours too often. Save it for the really important things.”  
So Brenna had to explain to the students who came to her that she had to limit herself to only so many repairs a day. For the most part, they had complied and she'd made a few friends in the interim.

“Week after next is Labor day. They're doing the barbecue down by the lake again aren't they?”  
Sophie dipped her french toast stick into a puddle of maple syrup on her plate.  
“Yeah far as I know,” Chase nudged Brenna, “You're going aren't you? They really put on a spread, I mean they have lots of food, music, dancing, swimming. Its the last fling before summer is over.”  
“I suppose I shall. I cannot believe summer is nearly gone. My father will be haying now, mother will be putting food by for the winter.” Brenna bit her lip, hating her next statement but delivering it all the same, “Next week I will be sixteen seasons.”  
Chase's head swiveled about, “Your birthday is next week?”  
“My birthing day...Yes what of it?”  
Chase stared at her, “Aw come on, you can't tell me you don't celebrate birthdays in Asgard.”  
Brenna started to peel her banana, “How do you celebrate it here on Midgard? My mother cooks me whatever I like. I am freed from chores. I receive gifts. Last season my father wove a new harness for Lightning but had mother give it to me. He prefers to distance himself from such festivities. He can be quite distant,” She thought to add, “except with my mother.”   
“Another thing we have in common.” Chase waved a fork at her, “My dad is the emotional equivalent of granite.”  
“We'll have to make you a cake Bren,” Sophie piped up, “What flavor would you like?”  
“You use cake to celebrate birthdays? Interesting.”  
“The party that goes along with it is the interestingpart. So chocolate, vanilla, strawberry?” Sophie looked into the air before her and an image of a frosted cake appeared to hover over the table, a lovely, white, tiered... “Wedding cake, no that's not what I want.”  
She closed her eyes tight, opened them again and a somewhat cartoon-ish pink frosted layer cake appeared.   
“With bananas,” Brenna added, giggling as banana popped out of the top of the cake.   
“Aw that's wrong, you know how that screws me up when people yell suggestions at me. I'll see what I can do about the banana idea though.”  
“So you would make me a cake to celebrate my birthday?”  
Sophie slid her arm around Brenna's shoulders, “Of course. That's what friends do.” She looked up at the clock on the wall snatching her backpack from the floor, “I gotta go or I'm going to be late and Professor Cain loves to give extra work as punishment. See you later. We can do homework and watch another educational movie.”   
Brenna laughed, “I cannot wait to see what you pick next.”  
When Brenna began to spend time with Sophie, coming to her rooms and doing homework with her,Sophie had popped a movie into her DVD player. Brenna had been mesmerized. She had watched shows with Chase like the evening news and something he had called game shows which were beyond her ken. She much preferred books. She would sit beside him as he listened to the weather forecast, reading on every subject she could find.   
The movies, however, were altogether different. The first one she'd put in was a film by a group of men called The Marx Brothers. While she could not follow the jokes and gaffs very well, the slapstick was pretty straightforward. She had asked endless questions about it and Sophie had graciously answered what she could. At the end of the film, Brenna had apologized for being so inquisitive but the next day Sophie had put yet another Marx Brothers movie in. Now it had become a ritual, movies, homework, and of course snacks. They sometimes included Chase but more often it was just the two of them.  
As Chase brought her tray up to the conveyor belt and they headed out of the hall for their classes, she thought to herself how wrong her father had been. He had said Midgardians were cruel, barbarous, selfish. He couldn't have been farther from the truth.

 

After a week had passed, Loki finally relented, allowing Eidra to travel with him to Chris's on the condition that she take the wagon and keep Lightning at a walk. Fen insisted on riding with Loki on Blackberry though he was disappointed that his father would not ride on ahead of the wagon for more than a few yards. “Your mother might need us so I wish to stay close.”  
They had just reached Rialo when Fen tipped his head back and looked up at Loki. “Papa?”  
He gazed down at his son, “What?”  
“Might we visit Brenna soon?” he bumped his head against Loki's chest, “I miss her.”  
“Not yet, not until your baby sister is born. Mama cannot travel so close to her time.”  
“Is she really going to have a girl? Can she not have a boy instead. I want a brother.”  
Loki smiled, “Be careful what you wish for,” He twisted around to see Eidra and Helgi talking to one another, “Your mother believes she will have another girl but we must accept what fate gives us.”  
They rode quietly a bit further, then, “Why did Brenna leave?”  
Loki bit his lip, they had talked at length about why Brenna was on Midgard and Fen would still ask over and over again. Loki wondered what answer would finally stop his questions. “Again you ask.”  
“I am sorry Papa.” Fen leaned forward onto Blackberry's mane and draped his arms down her neck. The sadness in his small voice broke Loki's heart so he tried once more.  
“Brenna is on Midgard attending a school. She left Asgard because she thought we were being unfair to her.”  
“What she did was not fair. She left us. She made Mama cry.”  
Loki laid a hand on Fen's back, “We will visit her soon, I promise you. Then you may ask her yourself.” 

Sally had just stepped outside when they rolled into the dooryard.   
“Eidra!”Sally cried as she rushed to the wagon, “Oh look at how big ye are. Faith and I'm glad to see ye.” She herded them inside where Chris was sitting at the table. He gave them a lopsided smile and held his right arm out to Fen who hesitated for a moment until Loki nodded his permission. Fen crawled up into Chris's lap and was greeted by the same strong hug he'd expected from him though it felt a little weaker with one arm. “Fen, muh boy.”  
“You sound better, my friend.” Loki patted him on the shoulder. The paralysis had begun to fade little by little since the initial attack but his speech was still a bit garbled as the muscles on the left side of his face continued to remain slack.  
“Much to muh Sal's dismay,” he chuckled, nodded to Eidra who leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. He pointed to her belly, “Soon?”  
“Yes, though not soon enough. It has been a hot summer.”  
As Loki sat down at the table, Eidra drifted over to Sally who was standing at a basin of water, washing cups and plates, talking with Helgi, “Does he respond well to the treatment Petter prescribed?”   
Sally sighed, “I suppose he does. 'Tis hard to judge whether it be the medicine or his stubbornness, or both. At first he refused to take the elixirs till I threatened him...,” Sally leaned closer, whispered in Eidra's ear, “I told the old goat I'd not bake another sweet for him if until he choked them down. Well he loves his applecake so...” She glanced at Eidra, “How have ye been fairing yourself?”  
“I have been...fairing. I do not sleep as well now. I am up and down all evening. Poor Loki, I repaired to the rocker for a bit last night and when I returned to bed, he was lying there looking at me. I fear I keep him up as well.”  
She took up a linen towel and started to dry the dishes Sally was doing. “It is terrible to lay abed thinking when everyone sleeps. I wonder how Brenna is, if she wants to come home, if she's eating, if she's lonely.”  
“I'm sure she's all of those things. Why do you not go see her?”  
Eidra patted her belly as Helgi shook her head, “Loki forbids it until she has delivered. The danger is too great.”  
Sally dried a hand, reached over and felt her stomach, “Does the baby move much now?”  
Eidra nodded, “She moves mostly in the evening. I fear she will follow the same pattern after she is born.”  
“Then it shall be his turn.”   
Eidra laughed, “Shh, I have already teased him about that, or rather warned him.” The baby gave a strong kick, “And the lady agrees with me.”  
Sally insisted they stay for the evening meal and so Eidra and Helgi helped with the preparation while Loki and Fen sat with Chris.

Loki sighed, “I could make you a stand for your musket but I fear you will not be steady enough to aim.” He shifted Fen, who had fallen asleep in his lap, to a more comfortable position.  
“Lemme be th' judge of that,” Chris wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. “Dam'ble drooling.”  
“I would take a buck for you, but so be it. If you be up to it, next moon we shall hunt together again.”  
Chris smiled, “Content..don' see how you'll hab time what with th' babe.”  
Loki grinned, “My friend. I will have time. Someone must provide for the family.”  
“Ah but th' little mother will have you changin' nappies,” Chris reached over the table and put a hand to his arm, “Fear not, I'll bring in th' venison for us all.”  
“Oh shall you. I have half a mind to let you.”  
Chris waved to him, “G'on with you then. Fetch muh musket.”  
Chris made an attempt to rise from the chair but Loki stopped him. “Old fool, the deer will laugh at you, should you venture out in such a state. Enough, now tell me what it is you need done about the grounds.”  
“Soon we butcher th' pig. Need help with 'at, and there's harvestin' tuh be done.”  
“I am going to procure a servant for you straightaway. You need more help here.”  
Chris frowned at this, “Nonsense,” but his countenance eased. '' 'Twould help Sally though.”  
“Then it is settled. I will ask about town for a boy.”  
“You take care of me at your expense.” Chris's eyes shone with tears.  
“You took care of me, you saved my life, never let me give up when I thought all was lost. We are brothers, it is nothing to help family.” Loki clasped his hands together giving a short bow to Chris.  
“Th' feeling is mutual, muh son, mutual.”

Fen awoke just before the evening meal with a new burst of energy, chattering endlessly on until Loki reminded him to be polite. Chris was no help as he made half faces at him, making the boy giggle until he was breathless. After the meal, Eidra and Helgi had helped Sally clean up while Loki helped an exhausted Chris to bed.  
Now Fen was dozing in Helgi's arms in the back of the wagon. Loki rode Blackberry alongside as he and Eidra talked quietly.  
“He seems better than you made him out to be.”  
“He is no doubt, but I fear for his health. I wonder should we make an addition to the cottage, perhaps bring them to stay with us?”  
Eidra nodded, “It would suit me fine,” she hesitated, “I fear I would be amiss in saying that they could stay in Brenna's room for now. It pains me to think she will not be coming home soon to use it.”  
Loki's could hear the sorrow in Eidra's voice and his grip on the reins tightened, “If it is your wish that I visit her and ask her to come home, I shall but I suspect I will have to beg.”  
“Let her be. If she truly wished to return, she would have come with you in the first place only promise me we will visit after the baby. Surely she will want to return then.”  
“We shall indeed. If you wish, I will propose to Chris and Sally that they move on the morrow. I am not sure they will agree to do so but we must try to convince them,” He stared down at her face, her soft features illuminated by the setting sun, “Stop the wagon.”  
She pulled the reins back, watching as he dismounted, tied Blackberry to the rear of the wagon and climbed aboard to sit beside her on the seat, wrapping his arm around her waist as they started off again.  
“I desired to be close to my wife,” he nuzzled at her neck, the spot just below her earlobe and she shuddered, leaning over to him.  
“You desire to drive her mad. You know nothing can come of this.”  
“Then I shall simply hold you.” His grip tightened as she lay her head upon his shoulder.  
“You dog,” she murmured, “You just wait.”  
He kissed the top of her head, “As I must.”


	20. 20

“Come on Sophie, you almost had it.” Chase whispered.   
Brenna sat cross-legged on Sophie's bed beside him, an open social studies book forgotten in her lap. Brian and Sophie were on the floor, sunk into chairs Sophie had called bean bags. Brenna often claimed the big black one but Sophie had been sprawled in it when she arrived.   
They watched the image of a toy plush rabbit hover in the air shimmering between opaque and semi-solid.   
“Aw ain't he cute. He still pink though. I wanted him to be yellow.” Brian lay back in the bean bag opposite hers.  
“Well I thought pink so pink it is,” Sophie muttered as she stared hard at the image, her hands open, palms upward. Brenna wondered how she could think at all with the music blaring in the background, her friends talking to her. Brenna had been exposed to a multitude of genres courtesy mostly of Chase who sat with her one night as they browsed that magical place called the internet. She had identified most strongly with classical music, pop being a close second, rock was a bit harder on her ears. The music he'd called techno greatly interested her but she disliked country and hard rock. Chase said he always had music on when he was studying but she preferred silence more than anything. Given the choice, she would listen to Mozart or Bach that Chase had procured for her. He had even lent her an MP3 player.  
She glanced over at Chase, edging a bit closer to him whereas he turned to her and smiled. A little more than a week ago, he had challenged her one rainy night to a game of Scrabble in the rec room. She'd caught on at once and though Chase had proved to be a better speller than her, needing to help when she misspelled a word, she managed to stay a close second in score. As usual, Chase asked questions about Asgard. He seemed endlessly fascinated with the realm she'd come from.  
“So then months here are...”  
“Moons, and your year is one season to us. Our measure of time is based more on the cycles of the harvest and planting, festivals, things that are important to us.”  
She had spelled “ailment” and Chase tallied up the score.  
“And your calendar as you call it, is derived from the culture of the ancient Romans I have been reading about..”  
“Right,” Chase studied his tiles, “What about hours, minutes?”  
“We have timepieces in our cottages, tall clocks...but we most often say anon, soon....shortly, presently when speaking of time....on the morrow if something were to happen the next day. Hence if it were to happen in the future...such as....three days hence I will...oh I do not know..I will take a trip.”  
“So like old english crap. Like you guys stopped just before the industrial revolution. I mean there aren't TV's or stereos or computers there right?”  
Brenna had shaken her head, “None of the technology that you know at present exists in our world.”  
“So what do you do for amusement, for fun?” He spelled “tender” off of the T in “ailment” and she frowned in concentration.  
“Just what we are doing here, we play games. Hnefatafl, dice games, races on foot and on horseback, wrestling, reading, singing...knitting....um..” She spelled “light” off the L in “ailment” and looked up at him. “My mother and father had their first kiss over a game of dice.”  
Chase had been staring at his tiles trying to form a word in his mind but with her statement, all coherent thought left him. He couldn't have spelled cat if they were the only tiles he had.   
“It is your turn, Chase.”  
He nodded, “I know, give me a sec.” Had she meant to say what she did as a hint? Maybe she just meant to share a story. He swallowed hard, started to pick up tiles, choosing his words carefully, “Brenna, back home were you seeing anybody?”  
“Seeing....I saw many people. What a strange question. Is this more of that slang you speak of?”  
“Yeah I guess it is, sorry. How can I say it? What's an old fashioned word for seeing someone...uh...” He spelled “plant” off the T in “light”.  
She chewed her lip as she studied her tiles, jumping when Chase cried, “I got it! Courting, right? Was anybody courting you?”  
He knew he had hit on the right word when she blushed bright pink, “I sported with a village boy, Moran, when I was younger, it was nothing but a childish infatuation, however.”  
“So you're single?”  
She put tiles down on the board, “I suppose I am.”  
“So then,” His mouth felt drier than the Sahara, “Would you go out with me..ah, I mean, could I court you?”  
Her hand hovered over the board. She knew her father would want to approve of whoever courted her. He would check the family lineage, inquire upon his upbringing. She set the tile down. Then again, she was on Midgard, she could do what she wanted.  
“I would like that, I do not know the customs here for courting so you must humor me.”  
He smiled, “I don't think it's much different, I mean you're a girl and I'm a boy right? It's the same where you come from. I mean you don't date werewolves or trolls.”  
“Odin's beard, no!” Brenna scowled, “Trolls, you must be joking.”  
Chase raised an eyebrow, “Actually I was.”  
Brenna paused, “Oh,” She looked at the board, “So we are courting then?”  
Chase started to build another word, “Only here we call it dating, seeing each other, like that.”  
“Seeing each other.... very well then,” she picked up tiles from her tray, “We are seeing each other.”  
Chase seemed flustered throughout the rest of the game and even when he'd walked her to her quarters, he'd had trouble finding the right words, his voice cracking as he said good night to her. She had opened the door to her room, secretly enjoying the way Chase was shifting from one foot to the other, looking as if he couldn't find a comfortable stance. She finally relented, placing a soft kiss on his lips and ducking inside to lean against the door, unaware that he was doing the same thing on the other side.

“Almost,” Brian whispered aloud, breaking Brenna's reverie as she saw the toy bunny become more solid, red blotches breaking out on Sophie's cheeks as she strained to hold the image.  
Brian called these sessions honing their skills. Chase called them avoiding homework. He saw Brian move his foot to tap Sophie's which was dangling off the edge of the bean bag. Immediately the toy dissolved into nothing.  
“Brian, you shit! I almost had it!” She kicked at him as he pulled back.  
“Hey, if you wanna run wit' the big dogs, you can't let nothing so small distract you. What if the bad guy blowed you a kiss or threw something atcha?”  
Sophie gave him the finger, “And what if the bad guy is a jackass?”  
“They usually is,” Brian sat up in his bean bag, “Aight, now pay attention y'all. Chase, hand me that there bottled water.”  
Chase tossed Brian the bottle he had beside him and Brian unscrewed it, starting to pour the water into his hand.  
“Hey don't get any water on my carpet! I don't want wet feet!” Sophie cried.  
“Hush, woman, I ain't gonna let yo feet get wet.” He set the bottle down on the floor and put his other hand over the water. Until then, it had been dripping through his fingers onto his pant leg. Now it stopped and began to flow back into his hand until, pooled into his palm was a wavering ball of water. He drew his other hand up, grinning as the water stretched into a clear column. He spread his fingers wide and the water thinned into a glassy sheet. “G'on, put your finger through it.”  
Sophie pierced the sheet with one finger and drew it back though. “It's dry!”  
“That's because I'se controlling the cohesive factor. I could make it rock solid and y'all would need a hammer to get through it.”  
“So could I, it's called a freezer.” Chase quipped and Brenna nudged him playfully. He leaned over to whisper in her ear, “I call this the counter-attack. Stay still.”  
Chase waved his hand before him and everything stopped, the music from the stereo, the ripple of the water in Brian's hand, even Brian and Sophie themselves had ceased to move. At one time, Chase had explained his talent to her as the ability not so much to stop time as to move independently of it, likening it to dodging between milliseconds like a quarterback heading for a touchdown though his sphere of influence only extended so far at this point in time.   
Chase got off the bed, picked up the water bottle and poured it over Brian's head, watching it trickle down over his frozen grin. Then he moved Brian's arms until his hands hovered just above the crotch of his pants. Finally he leaped back onto the bed and waved his hand again, the sound returning to the room with a whoosh as Brian gasped, his concentration broken when the sheet of water dropped into his lap.  
Jesus, Mary and Jo-seph! It's on now, oh it's on!” Brian jumped up from the floor, making a swipe at Chase who backpedaled over the other side of the bed, laughing as Brenna ducked to the side.  
“You two are gonna dry out this carpet!” Sophie yelled to them as they tore around the room.   
“Oh you think you funny and all!” Brian had managed to get a roaring Chase in a headlock. “I'm gonna knock you out.”  
“C'mon guys, be quiet before Grace hears us.” Sophie half whispered.   
Brian tossed Chase onto the bed with a grunt, “You damn lucky I don't wanna get no house detention, dude,” He headed toward Sophie's bathroom, shaking his pants out to dry them. Chase, breathless with laughter, rolled over onto his back and looked up at Brenna, “How about you, beautiful? What's the most complex object you've ever healed?”  
Brian dropped back into the bean bag, a towel draped over his head, “Yeah, have you ever unhealed stuff?”  
She sat up straight. She had never thought of UN-healing anything. “No I have not.”  
“How come?”  
She shrugged, “I do not know.”  
Brian put his hands behind his head, “Well when you heal something, what you do? Do it happen naturally or do you gotta think about it?”  
“Oh I see it in my mind. I see where something has been broken, the edges where they have separated. I envision them reuniting, returning to their previous state. It is quite interesting really.”  
Brian reached over and snatched the pencil Sophie had been using to do homework outta her hand, snapping the pencil easily in half and handing the pieces to Brenna, “Here, fix it.”   
Brenna rolled her eyes as she took the halves, held them together and within a few seconds was handing it back to Brian whole, however, he pushed it back to her, “Okay now, reverse it.”  
Brenna bit her lip, recalling the place where the pencil had shattered. The wood torn apart at the molecular level, the brittle outer layer of paint ripped and jagged. She stared at the pencil in her hands but nothing happened at first. Frowning, she closed her eyes, seeing the wood splinter along the crack that she'd healed, yellow paint chipping away until the top half of the pencil dropped to the coverlet before her.   
“Oh snap! Look at you deconstructing and shit!” Brian shouted.  
Brenna, however, just stared at the broken pencil, “I had no idea...”  
Brian shot her a look, “The hell you say. You cannot tell me you ain't never played with your powers.”  
Brenna shook her head, “In the beginning yes but I did not believe I could reverse the process. I only played at healing things.”  
“So you born with a special gift and you just say, hey no big deal?”  
Brenna felt heat rise to her cheeks, “I did not consider my talent out of the ordinary. It is not uncommon to have such skills where I come from. I was born with a caul which often portends second sight or some other special ability.”  
Chase sat up. “I read about being born with a caul, how it meant a child was born special.”  
Brenna glanced at him, “Cultures here on Midgard believe this is also so?”  
Brian nodded, “My great great granddad was born with a caul, matter of fact. He became a dowser of some note in Mobile, Alabama according to my ma.”  
“My father is a mage,” Brenna picked up the broken half of the pencil from the coverlet, “My mother said he is quite powerful but he rarely uses magic at home.   
“Good thing.” Brian muttered, caught Chase's glare. “  
“Why do you say that?”  
Brian smiled broadly, “Well you know, I mean, you gotta be careful about how you use your gifts right?”  
Chase nodded as Brenna stared at the pencil, “I suppose, but he often uses magic to be helpful.”  
She felt as if she had missed something when Brian abruptly stood up from the bean bag.  
“Hey, y'all, I'm gonna hit the pillow. See you on the flip side.”  
Brenna hopped down from the bed as well, “I, too, am going to retire.”  
Chase stood with her, “I'll walk with you.”  
They said their goodbyes to Sophie and headed down the hall. Brenna fell quiet as they approached her rooms.  
“Babe, you okay?” Chase slipped his hand into hers and she squeezed it.  
“The boys from my village that I used to play with, Silvan and Moran, they used to tell me things about my father. People called him,, in his youth the Dark Prince. Moran said it was not because of his black hair. I have asked my father of his past but he only says he is not the person he was before, therefore anything he were to tell me would mean nothing.”  
They had reached her door and Chase put his arms around her waist, pulling her to him where she leaned forward onto his chest. “You can't believe everything you hear, Bren. Ignore the haters.”  
“I would had it been me they hated me but they were my friends. Are you not supposed to trust your friends?”  
“Yeah, you just don't have to believe everything they say,” He kissed the top of her head and she backed away from him.   
“Thank you, Chase. Your kind words mean so much to me”  
Chase tipped her chin upward, meeting her lips. She expected a quick peck but the kiss deepened further until she was leaning against the door, eyes closed, arms snaking around his neck. The sensation as her lips parted with his was completely new and she was barely able to keep her legs beneath her when she felt his tongue trace her bottom lip. So lost was she in the moment that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching, unaware that there was anyone else in the hallway, much less the whole universe, but the two of them.  
“Chase Wells. Is it not past bed time?”  
Chase backed away so swiftly, he nearly lost his balance. Brenna shot upright, adjusting her shirt and slipping her hands behind her back.   
Kurt eyed them both but Brenna, though she felt mortified to have been caught in such an intimate moment, was relieved to see there was a hint of amusement in the professor's mien.   
“Yes sir, I was um....saying goodnight...,” Chase was scarlet as he stammered his reply, “Bren, I'll see you tomorrow.”  
Brenna nodded, watching as Chase sprinted down the hall towards his room. She chanced a peek at Professor Wagner.  
“Young lady, be careful vith der boys. Dey can be quite a distraction.”  
“Yes sir,”  
“You two are dating now, ja?”  
Brenna felt her face grow hot, “Is he not allowed to court me?”  
Kurt shrugged, “Ja, there are no rules against it as long as you behave.”  
“You have my word, I shall behave with honor. Goodnight, sir.”  
Kurt grinned, his pointed teeth brilliant in the dim light of the hallway, “Goodnight Brenna.”  
As the door closed behind her, Kurt shook his head, “Jugendliche.”

Brenna sat on her bed, fingers to her lips. Her whole body had tingled at the kiss. She felt like she had run a footrace, her heart had been beating so fast. If anything else had cemented her decision to stay here on Midgard, it was meeting Chase.


	21. 21

“Muh boy,” Chris had slung his right arm around Loki's neck, his left hung loose at Loki's shoulder though some use had returned to the limb. “You shall trow yer back out.”  
He hefted Chris up from the rear of the wagon, grunted, “Non..uh...sense, you concentrate upon holding on to me,” and started into the house.   
When Loki had proposed to Chris and Sally that they come to stay, Chris had at first been violently opposed to it.   
“I would not burden you with muh care fer King George's crown and scepter.”  
However, a couple days later, when Loki and Fen had just finished doing chores at Chris's cottage and were standing in the common room with mugs of buttermilk, Chris had motioned Loki over to his seat by the fireplace and with tears in his eyes said he was ready to take him up on his offer.   
“Son, I confess I can no longer watch muh belubbed struggle with me ebery day. It pains me, though, to be taking Brenna's room. I would she were home instead.”  
Loki reassured him that even were Brenna home, they would add on a room forSally and himself were it necessary. Chris had wiped his eyes and put his hand on Loki's cheek, “Were we linked by blood, I could not lub you more, muh son.” Loki had put his hand on Chris's shoulder.   
“It is settled then. We will make preparations.”

Loki eased Chris into the rocking chair before the hearth, turned and took the trunk Sally and Helgi were trying to drag inside from the wagon. Eidra, having been relegated to the rocking chair opposite Chris, could only watch the others work.  
Chris leaned forward, patting her knee, “Don't feel wounded, muh pet. Let him treat you like fine china for as long as you can.”  
Loki returned to the common room, having deposited the trunk in the bedchamber, “Now before I leave to fetch the livestock, do you want me to settle you in bed?”  
Chris grimaced, “Tis barely noontime!” He smiled at Fen, “P'haps I'll play Noah to Fen's menagerie.”   
Loki put his hand on Fen's head before he could bolt for his box of wooden animals.   
“He has to come and help me before he may play.” Fen's face fell as far as his shoulders but Chris whispered, “Later, lad, your father is right.”  
Before he left, Loki asked once more whether Chris would like to get into bed but he preferred to sit and regale the ladies with stories while they worked, a remark that had Sally rolling her eyes. Loki bent and kissed Eidra upon the forehead, Fen pulling on his sleeve, eager to be off.  
Eidra gave a loud sigh as the door closed behind them.   
“What is it child?” Helgi pulled Eidra's hair back, stroked her cheek.   
“Nothing, I am simply restless.”  
Helgi nodded, “Nesting, you feel like readying the house for the baby.”  
In truth, she wished desperately to be holed up in her chambers alone with her husband for an entire day. In her present state, privacy had become a distant memory, intimacy a near impossibility, and yet she craved it even more despite her discomfort. She wrapped her arms around her, feeling unbearably useless.

The thump on the bridge of Brenna's nose startled her awake. She lifted the book she'd been reading from her face. It was about the American Revolution and the writer seemed to have made every effort to make the subject sound excruciatingly dull. Sophie said some books were good for doing just what this one had done, putting one to sleep. She sat the book down and picked up another one from the short stack beside her.   
“Irish Folktales,” she read the title aloud.  
She had leafed through it that morning, finding some names she recalled hearing her mother speak of in the past. She set it down after a few minutes as well, looking at the clock. It was nearly eleven in the evening. She picked up the next book in the pile titled, “World Mythology”, and opened it at random to Roman Gods.   
She started to read but again her eyelids began to droop. She readjusted her position, flipping a bit further back to the section on Greek Gods, glancing at the pictures of broken pottery, elaborate mosaics depicting Ares and Zeus. Then she flipped forward until an image caught her eye. She stared hard at it, recalling the last time she had seen the symbol in the halls of Asgard. Odin's symbol, the Valknut stood out in deep black ink, the words “Norse Gods” in bold gold letters above it. She sat up in the bed, turned the page and began to read.

Chase cracked one eye open, peering at the clock on his nightstand.   
“One freaking fifteen,” he muttered rolling over on his side and pulling the covers closer to his chin. He was just on the edge of sleep when there came a knock on his door and he rose to his elbows realizing the sound was what had woke him up in the first place. He listened as a voice on the other side whispered, “Chase? Oh please wake up.”   
He pulled on his pajama bottoms, nearly falling out of bed in the process. Reaching for the door handle, he missed, tumbling forward against the door, grabbing for the handle again and flinging the door open. “Bren?”  
Without waiting for an invitation, she strode into the room, looking furious with a large book under her arm.  
“Uh what's....,” she slammed the book on the bed as he finished, “Wrong...?”  
“I cannot believe it!” she cried, “I simply cannot!”  
“Believe what?” Chase picked up the book from the bed but she snatched it from his hands, flipping through it until she found what she had been looking for. She dropped the book back onto the bed and pointed with her finger to the page. Chase leaned over.  
“Loki....,” he looked up at Brenna.  
“Can you believe the lies they have written, the outrageous things they have said about my father?! Do Midgardians truly believe this tripe?”  
Chase took the book and turned it over to read the title on the cover. “Ah Brenna, I'm not too familiar with mythology.”  
She had started to pace back and forth. Chase thought to himself that in other circumstances, in her pajamas with her hair wild about her face she would have looked incredibly cute but there was a fire in her eyes which kept his thoughts safely in his head.   
“Trickster, Liesmith, Silvertongue? My father is many things but he is no liar and do Midgardians truly believe my father a god? My uncle, my grandfather?”  
He continued to read as she continued to rant.   
“Oh it grows worse. The book claims he is a frost giant, a Jotun! They are Asgard's most hated enemies! Odin's beard!”   
She had balled her hands into fists now. “And the most horrific charge of all, claiming that he had multiple wives, freakish offspring...a wolf, a snake?, I am sick at heart just pondering such filth! My father is a prince. My uncle a king, my grandfather king before him.”  
She sat down hard on the bed, her hands covering her face.  
“Uh Bren, I don't think......I mean mythology is ancient history. We're talking thousands of years here....”  
Brenna looked up at him, “They say he is the blood brother of Odin. He is the son of Odin...It is...all wrong....”  
“Bren, babe,” Chase sat down on the bed beside her as she sniffled loudly.  
“I should have gone home. Perhaps my father was right. How can Midgardians write such horrible things about a prince of the realm without knowing the truth? I wish I could travel to another realm, maybe Alfheim, or Vanaheim.”  
“Brenna, listen don't say that. What would I do without you to brighten my day?”  
He put his arm around her, felt her stiffen then give way as she lay her head on his shoulder, snaking her arm around his stomach, “Do you believe what the book says?”  
Chase hugged her to him, “Naw, I wouldn't pay any attention to it. It's a book. So long as you know the truth, right?”  
“But if...everyone else...reads it. This cannot be the...only book on mythology..can it?”  
Chase was starting to realize, despite what Brian had said about Loki when he'd shown up at the school, that Brenna had only ever known of him simply as her father. She knew nothing of the myths, the stories, New York...   
She lay her head in his lap, as he stroked her hair, her sobs slowing, diminishing until they finally stopped and Chase realized she had fallen asleep.   
“Bren?” He whispered, “Baby.”   
Receiving no response, he sighed, lifted her head from his lap. He pulled her up to the pillow where she shuddered, curling into a ball as he lifted the covers and put them over her. He leaned over, kissed her cheek then walked over to the easy chair by the window and draped himself over the arms, staring at the ceiling for a long time until his jumbled thoughts finally left him alone to fall asleep.

Brenna stretched as she woke, lay there with her eyes closed for a moment until she heard snoring and she sat up straight in bed. She was still in Chase's room! She could see him in the easy chair sprawled out, his head back against one arm of the chair, mouth open. She swung her legs out over the floor, groaning as she saw the clock. It was almost seven-thirty in the morning. She was supposed to be at the library by eight-fifteen. She would have to miss breakfast and she had no idea how she was going to get from Chase's room to hers in her pajamas without being seen.   
She crept up to him, gently shaking him by the shoulder. When he continued to snore on, oblivious, she shook him again, harder.   
“Chase?”   
He sat straight up, their heads colliding with a solid thunk!   
“Ow, gods!” Brenna cried, holding her forehead and stepping back.   
“Oh baby I'm so sorry!” He twisted around in the chair, grabbing her face in his hands.   
“Why did you let me sleep here all night?”   
Chase patted her cheek, “You were so upset and you fell asleep in my lap so I didn't want to wake you. I figured if you were comfortable enough to relax, I wasn't going to kick you back to your room. It's okay, I was fine in the chair.”  
“No it is not okay. I am still in my evening wear and I need clothes to wear to class. Can you see me walking into the library dressed like this?”  
Chase looked her over. “I don't know, have you seen what some of the students are wearing these days?”  
“Chase!”  
He held his hands up in the air, “Alright, I'll get dressed, go to your room, get you clothes and bring them back here.”  
“Will you? Oh I would be forever in your debt!”  
Chase took both her hands and kissed them in turn, “Call me a fool for love.”  
Brenna smiled at him, thinking that just maybe she was beginning to understand the look of devotion that her father and mother always shared when they thought no one else was looking.  
“Then we are two of a kind.”

Chase peered up and down the hallway. Satisfied that it was deserted, he slipped into Brenna's room. She had asked him to get her long gray knit dress, her flats and her backpack. All the way to her room, he kept repeating the list to himself. He found the dress and flats in the wardrobe beside the dresser, folded the dress, shoved it into the backpack, opting to carry the flats in his hand. He cracked open the door, poking his head out, again making sure the hallway was clear. He headed back the way he'd come then, unaware of the figure who had just entered the corridor behind him and who now stood, tail twitching as Chase sprinted up the stairs to the boys dormitory floor.

Logan had sprawled on one of the couches in the library, reading the morning paper as Kurt rambled on. “I mean vat must we do? Lock der doors each evening? Post hall monitors?”  
Logan glanced over the edge of the paper, watching Kurt's tail whip back and forth. “Are you sure you aint' part cat?”  
“You haven't heard a word I have said, have you.”  
Logan rolled his eyes, returned to his paper, “I've heard ya, honest I have. I just think that maybe you're getting' too worked up about somethin' you assume has happened.”  
The front of the paper crumpled before his eyes as Kurt shoved it into his lap.  
“Hey, I'm trying ta read the damn paper!”  
“We are all responsible for der wunderkinder here and dass includes all aspects, ” Kurt dropped into an easy chair, hand across his eyes. “Which leaves me to question der girl because I have a moral obligation to do so. Ach! Why me?”  
Logan sat up, refolding the wrinkled paper in his lap. “Look, tell me how old you were when you first did the nasty.”  
Kurt peeked between his fingers, “I do not recall.”  
“Bullshit, everyone remembers their first time,” Logan put his foot out, kicking at Kurt's leg.  
Kurt whipped his tail at Logan's retreating boot and growled, “I was fifteen,” he put his hand to his chest, “But I am a man. Boys mature differently den girls.”  
“Naw they just take more time. Boys are born ready.”  
Kurt sat up, “But they are not der ones we must worry about.”   
Logan tilted his head, “Ah yeah, they're not the ones who bring home the little bambinos. Well I guess you now have a new subject to teach.”  
Kurt frowned, waiting for his remark.  
“Sex ed.”  
“Does der phrase “kiss my ass” mean anything to you?” Kurt mumbled as the library door opened and Brenna rushed in. Logan smiled at her as she found a seat at a nearby table and she nodded to him.  
“Well I'm off to my self defense class,” Logan gestured to Brenna. “When ya gonna sign up kiddo? Ya can't be too careful around the boys these days, gotta be ready to kick some kiester.”   
Brenna turned bright red, “I shall consider signing up for next term, sir.”  
“I'll look for ya. Kurt, have a nice day,” Logan chuckled as he caught Kurt's golden glare.  
Brenna was drawing her books from her backpack when Kurt sat down across the table from her.  
“Good morning, Professor Wagner.”  
“Guten morgen, Brenna. May I see your work?”  
She opened her folder, handed the sheets of paper to him and he leaned back in the chair for a minute, looking them over. Finally he set the papers down on the table, took a pen from his pocket and began to write something on the topmost sheet. The silence hung heavy in the library as the minutes ticked by.   
“Very good, Brenna. Was der Revolutionary war hard to grasp?” He slid the paper across the table, back to her.  
“A bit  
“It is understandable. We will review the chapter together, ja?”  
Brenna nodded but when the professor simply slid the U.S. History book from his pile and flipped it open, she sensed something was wrong.  
“Professor, is there something troubling you?”  
Kurt massaged the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed, “Define trouble.”  
Brenna thought it an odd request, nevertheless she began, “Trouble, a deviation from the...”  
“Ach! No, no, I was being facetious, Mein Gott!”  
Brenna sat back, folding her hands in her lap, “I am sorry, I did not ken...”  
Kurt waved his hand in the air as his tone softened, “It is not your fault, lieb. I should clarify. I observed Chase leaving your dorm room this morning carrying your backpack and your shoes as he headed upstairs to the boys dorm floor. In der interest of school rules, I must ask, did you spend der night in Chase's room?”  
Brenna bit her lip, “Yes, sir.”  
Kurt shook his head, “Brenna, vat can I say. Dass is a violation of dorm policy...”  
“I know, I did not mean to fall asleep, I...” She had been about to tell him she'd been upset but such was her embarrassment with the cursed book she'd shown Chase that she choked, “We were talking and I just...”  
Kurt patted her hand. “You are much too young for,” he paused, sighed, “A physical relationship. Has anyone talked to you about birth control?”  
All at once, she realized what he was implying and her hand flew to her chest, “Professor Wagner, surely you do not believe I have engaged in carnal relations with Chase?”  
“Well I..”  
“Of course you do. I have been so careless”” She closed her eyes, “What would it have looked like had I been in your position? I promise you I only visited Chase because I wished to speak to him and fell asleep while doing so! He did not wish to wake me and so slept in his chair. I am mortified, please..”  
“Brenna,” Kurt rose from his chair, “Child, calm yourself. I believe you, I was only going by vat I saw and I felt it was my duty to voice my concern.”  
Brenna nodded, “I ken. I assure you Chase behaved admirably. I would not shame my family by acting irresponsibly.”  
Kurt smiled, crossing his arms before him, “I must tell you, you are an anomaly as far as teenagers go.”  
“Is that a good thing?”  
Kurt laughed, “Ja, it is, and you may call me Kurt while we are here., only tell no one, hah?”  
Brenna smiled. 

The rest of the class with Kurt was business as usual but when she reached Nala's math class, her mind had returned to the subject matter of the night before.  
Nala watched Brenna work her fraction problems on the smart board, “You know, I think you might be ready for a math class with students. Would you like that?”  
“I suppose.”  
Nala looked at Brenna, “Are you okay, Bren?”  
When she'd arrived at class, Brenna purposely kept her gaze elsewhere for as long as possible. She could not bear to look at Nala. Every time she did so, she imagined her father, his skin cerulean blue, eyes a deep ruby, strange raised markings covering his body. She rubbed her eyes as if she could wash away the image in her head.  
“Mrs. Harding. I do not feel well,” she sat down in the chair at her desk, “May I be excused?”  
“Do you need to see the nurse?” Nala asked, surprised at how pale Brenna looked.  
“No, ma'am. I did not sleep well last night.”  
Nala opened the folder before her. “Alright, I suggest you get to bed early tonight. Try to catch up. I'll talk to Ororo about integrating you into the math class next week. I want you to do pages one twenty to one twenty-four in the workbook. Go ahead.”  
She thanked Nala, gathered her things and headed for her room where she lie stomach down on the bed trying to clear her mind. In minutes she was asleep.


	22. Chapter 22

Loki had sent Fen to fetch the eggs while he headed into the barn to milk the cows. Now he was finished milking, yet Fen was nowhere to be seen. Loki headed for the chicken coop to check on him and was nearly to the entrance when he heard his son's small voice emerging from the interior  
“ En varm lys til å lyse min vei.”  
The pronunciation was a bit off. Loki considered going into the coop and correcting him but instead, he stayed outside listening as Fen repeated the words, tinged with an edge of frustration. Loki stooped low, about to enter the coop when Fen said them once more. This time his voice was clearer, more precise and suddenly a warm orange glow shone around the edges of the flap of burlap at the entrance. Loki heard Fen laugh then as he ducked into the coop. “Very good, Fen.”  
“Papa!” Fen cried as the light floating above his hand winked out, “I am sorry, I only wanted to try your spell.”  
“I think you were saying some of the words wrong.”  
“You are not mad?”  
Loki picked up the basket at Fen's feet and started to reach beneath the hens, withdrawing a couple eggs at each nest.   
“Why? Should I be? Worry more about Mama. If we do not fetch these eggs inside soon, she will come looking for us.”  
Fen scrambled to do his father's bidding as Loki squatted to search for eggs in the bottom most row of boxes.  
“You know, that was the first spell your grandmother taught me as a boy. Perhaps it is time you learned others.”  
Fen stopped, beaming, “Could I, Papa? Could I learn more spells?”  
Loki lifted one hen and marked her in his mind. No eggs. She had not laid in two months. Well enough time. She would serve as their evening meal on the morrow.  
“I will consider it.”  
Fen clapped his hands, startling the hens, “Then when Brenna comes home I can show her I can do magic too.”  
“Too?” He turned to see Fen, both hands clasped over his mouth, his eyes wide.  
“Fen?”  
“Papa, do not be mad at her. I promised I would keep her secret and I did but I forgot and now she will be angry with me but she did not want you to know...”  
Loki put his hand on Fen's shoulder, “Wait, calm yourself. What can Brenna do?”  
Fen seemed ready to leap out of his skin, “She can heal things, Papa. Broken sticks, torn clothes, even people. She heals cuts all the time, once we were climbing in a tree and the branch was about to break and she healed it.”  
Loki picked up the basket of eggs, gesturing towards the entrance. “Go on, fetch one of the milk pails for me.”  
When Loki stepped back out into the sunshine, Fen had lifted one pail and was trying for the other with minimal success.   
“I shall carry the other one,” he hefted the pail in his other hand. “And I will not tell her you told me. Instead I shall tell her I beat it out of you.”  
Fen giggled, sloshing milk out of the pail. “She will not believe you.”  
“Will she not?” He muttered as they headed for the cottage.

Eidra was sitting at the table when they walked through the door. She had before her parchment paper and in her hand a slender quill. Sally and Helgi were at the hearth preparing the morning meal. Eidra looked up from her writing to Loki, “Would you like me to send your love to Brenna?”  
Loki nodded, sitting the basket of eggs and the milk beside Helgi.  
Ren had come to visit a couple days before, asking if anything was needed from the city as a merchant friend of hers had business there and would be traveling a couple days hence. Eidra had decided that she would write a letter to Brenna and have it delivered to Thor who had promised to deliver correspondence to Brenna for her.  
“I want to write to Bren,” Fen chimed in at her elbow.  
“Then you must sit at the table and be very careful with the ink.”   
She slid a piece of parchment from her pile, setting it before him as he climbed into the chair before her. He took a small slender quill and began to write in overlarge script, his tongue stuck to his top lip. While she was watching him, Loki leaned over and whispered in her ear.  
“What?! When?” She cried peering at Fen who took no notice of the conversation between his mother and father.  
“Just now in the chicken coop,” he replied quietly, holding his fingers to her lips,“We will talk more of it later, when we are alone.”  
She glanced at Helgi who was smiling at her and she lay a hand at Fen's back while he wrote.  
“I love you, Mama.”  
“I love you too, my big boy.”

 

She sat that afternoon in her rocking chair trying to finish the blanket she had been knitting for the baby. Helgi had lain down with Fen in his room, trying to convince him to take a nap. Chris was in bed asleep, his soft snore the only sound in the entire cottage. Sally and Loki had ridden to her house to harvest more vegetables from her garden.  
Eidra fanned herself with her hand. Heyannir was ending on an overwarm note. She sighed, lifted her needles and started to knit again. She had finished one row and was turning the blanket to begin another when a sharp jab across the small of her back made her drop the blanket into her lap. She drew in a sharp breath and for a moment couldn't move, breaking out in a cold sweat but finally the pain eased and she exhaled slowly. She eased back into the chair at first, then hefted herself up, laid her knitting down in the seat and retired to her bedchamber where she lay on her side, rubbing her belly, humming softly, waiting for Loki to return.

 

“...Happy birthday to you!!”  
Brenna had gone bright red but she was grinning from ear to ear as she watched the candles on the pink frosted cake flicker in the air of the Great Hall. She looked about her at Brian and Sophie, Chase beside her, his arm around her waist. Kurt, tapped her on the shoulder, “Now you must make a wish and blow out der candles. Dass is der custom here.”  
She stared into the flames pondering what she could wish for until Chase prodded her, “The candles are gonna melt altogether, come on.”  
She closed her eyes then, “I wish..”  
Everyone started to yell, “No, no!”  
Sophie laughed as Brenna jumped, “You keep the wish to yourself or it won't come true. Just say it in your head.”  
Brenna wrinkled her nose, “Indeed?” She repeated her wish to herself, took a deep breath and blew out the candles.  
Kurt handed her a knife to cut the cake with as Chase started separating the plates.   
“What ya think of birthdays now?” Brian asked as he took a plate from Chase.  
“They are not so different from birthdays in Asgard, except for the cake.” She licked the frosting from her fingers and smiled.  
“I used cherry juice for the coloring, I know how sensitive you are with the artificial stuff.” Sophie remarked, “How does it taste?”  
“Wonderful!” Brenna took another finger of it from the edge of her plate.  
“Hurry up and finish, y'all, I wanna see her open her presents,” Brian mumbled as he spooned the ice cream into his mouth.  
“Ach, that reminds me,” Kurt put his hand in the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a padded envelope. “This came for you today in the mail.”  
Brenna took the envelope. Her name was at the top followed by the address of the school. The return address in the upper left corner was a label which bore the name “Stark Industries”  
She opened the padded envelope and out dropped two letter packets, folded and tied with red wool yarn. She covered her mouth with her hand.  
Kurt peered over her shoulder, “Letters from home?”  
“Yes,” she slipped them back into the larger envelope, setting it to the side, “I shall read them later.”

Her thoughts kept straying to the letters, however, as she unwrapped her presents, so great was her curiosity as to their contents. She had recognized her mother's handwriting when she'd looked at the letters and she knew, even though they would only serve to increase her longing for home, she had been hoping and waiting for them just the same.  
Chase gave her a green gem on a gold chain.   
“It's your birthstone, August is peridot.”   
He had patiently explained the significance of birthstones while she fastened it about her neck. Brian presented her with a slang dictionary and though everyone had laughed, taking it as a joke, she was thrilled with it as Brian tapped the cover.   
“Maybe now y'all will be able to keep up with me.”  
Sophie presented her with a new pair of knitting needles, a peace sign painted onto the knobs at the end of the handles and two new skeins of soft gray yarn, joking with Brenna that now she could teach her to knit too, “And you can make your bestie a scarf.”  
Kurt seemed a bit reluctant to present his gift. Both he and Nala had been invited but Nala had declined, having a family get-together to attend.  
“It was hard to decide upon your gift. I thought long on it and pondered vat I would want if I had come to a strange land. Myself, I would want to write everything down, to save my experiences therefore I bought you a journal. Now you will have a way to look back at your time here and remember.”  
Brenna was deeply touched. In barely a month and a half, she had made such good friends. She thanked them profusely over and again for everything they had done. Still, she was happy when, after the evening meal, she was finally able to be alone with Chase in the Rec room.  
She again opened the envelope and drew out the two packets, starting to read while they sprawled on one of the couches, her legs draped over his.

 

Dearest Brenna,

I hope these letters find you safe and happy. I hope they find you at all. I begged your Uncle to get them to you somehow and it is my hope he has obliged. There is much to tell you. Uncle Chris has taken ill. He and Aunt Sally are staying with us so that we may care for him. The harvest has done well. I have been putting by for the winter months to come as the season heads towards its close. I miss your chatter, your constant presence, greatly. Many are the times I have reached for you across the way as I sit in my rocking chair only to find you are still gone. I hope soon you will come back home. I do not wish your unhappiness mind you, but wish you would find greater happiness here instead. Fen misses you terribly as well. Today he surprised father by performing the light spell when he was out doing chores. Father has considered teaching him more spells soon. Father had wondered if either of you would inherit his abilities and it would seem you both have been blessed. Before you judge your brother harshly though, remember he is but a child and your secret was told when he became excited.  
I knew you would be special when you were born with the caul. It portended great things for your future. Perhaps your being on Midgard is the beginning of that greatness. I keep saying it is so to reassure, to bolster myself against sadness. We all worry day and night about you, your safety is our utmost concern.  
When Father sits by the fire at night, I can tell he is thinking of you. He gets such a melancholy look upon his face. I have told him we are going to visit you after the baby is born. He has no choice in the matter though I doubt he would refuse in the first place. He sends his love as do Helgi, Sally, Chris and Ren. I must say farewell now, the baby tires me. It will be a blessing when I can finally hold her in my arms instead of my belly. I will write again when I can. 

All my love, 

Mama

She refolded the letter and held it in her hands for a few minutes, lifting it to her nose taking in the scent of rosewater, wood smoke...   
“You okay, Bren?”  
She nodded and unfolded the second letter which was done in a large childish script.

 

Dear Brenna,

I miss you. Wen are you coming home? I have ben brushing Blakbery for you. Mama is having a baby soon. She thinks it is anothr gurl. Mama helped me with this letter. Come home.

I love you

Fenris

 

Brenna wiped the tears from her cheek as she felt Chase's hand rub her knee. “Is there anything I can do? Sing a song, tell a joke?”  
Brenna laughed though she wished she still had the Uruz. “No, Chase. I am okay, really I am.”  
She put the letters back in the envelope and took his hand.  
“You wanna watch a movie or something?”  
“No I think I will turn in early. It has been a long day.”

Once in her room, she slipped the letters beneath her pillow and sat down in her easy chair. She would have invited Chase in but she doubted she would have been very good company. Instead she curled into the cushions, watching out of her window as the sun set over the lake.


	23. 23

Helgi had waited for longer than usual before checking on Eidra. Loki and Fen were at chores while Helgi and Sally started the morning meal.  
Chris sat at the table humming contentedly, whittling a small piece of wood. Now, with the strength returning to his left arm, he could at least brace the small block to carve it with his right hand. At present, he was working away at the outline of an elephant.  
“I am going to check on Eidra,” Helgi muttered, “It is not like her to be so late abed.”   
“One can hardly blame her. She struggles so to move around the cottage. The baby weighs terrible on her,” Chris muttered.  
Helgi cracked open the door to find Eidra sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched forward.   
“Poppet, whatever is the matter?” Helgi sat on the bed beside her and she groaned,  
“Helgi, my back hurts so. I wish there were a way to stop it.”  
“There is dear, but not yet. Are you going to take your meal at the table?”  
“Yes,” Eidra stretched, pressing her hands into the small of her back, “Oh Helgi, do help me up.”  
Eidra pushed from the bed as Helgi pulled at her arm, “Loki is still outside, would you like me to call to him? He's a good deal stronger than I.”  
Eidra shook her head, “I shall be fine,” and gave herself a mighty shove, finally gaining her feet  
When she finally eased herself into a chair beside Chris, he held up the carving, “A fine addition to Fen's menagerie, do you not think?”  
“I do. It is good to see you carving again.”  
“ 'Tis good to be doing anything again. I'll wager me legs will be right as rain soon enough and then we can stop being a burden on you.”  
Eidra patted his arm, “Chris, you are most certainly not a burden. Say no more.”  
She turned from Chris to see Fen sprinting through the door  
“Mama, Papa is hurt!”  
Eidra hauled herself up from the chair as Loki followed him into the cottage holding his right forearm to his chest.   
“Loki! The gods wept, what happened?” Eidra immediately reached for his arm but he grimaced.  
“Have a care, it is deep.”  
Helgi had already grabbed a basin, set it on the table and was filling it with water from the pail. “Come here now, let us have a look.”  
Loki brought his arm away and Eidra shuddered at the sight. A deep bleeding gash had been sliced down the inside of his arm from his elbow almost to his wrist. “I was tying a knot in a rope I had tied to Lightning and was in the process of cutting the rope with my blade when he jerked backwards and the blade caught me. It was so quick that I did not know at first I had been cut.”  
Helgi guided him to the basin and started to submerge his arm into the cold water. He hissed at the needles of pain brought by the contact with the water. Eidra put her hand at his back.  
Chris, moving closer for a look, waved to Sally, “Get a length of heavy thread and a needle. Your skill is needed.”  
Loki looked up at Sally whose face had gone pale at the suggestion. “Chris, I haven't sewn a wound in ages...I..”  
“Woman, step lively. You can do it, I've faith in you.”  
With one more glance at the blood red water in the basin, Sally trotted into the bedchamber to fetch her sewing kit.  
Eidra put her hands in the water wiping at the wound.  
“It stings,” he gasped, “be careful!”  
“Well you must clean the wound or it will only fester.” She tried to be gentle but each time she ran her fingers over the slice, he would flinch.  
When Sally returned with the kit, he drew his arm from the water. Helgi patted it dry with a linen towel as Sally rummaged about for a needle and a length of sinew. The wound continued to bleed, though not as heavily as it had when he'd first come into the house. Chris kept pressure upon the cut while Sally threaded her needle until at last the blood flow slowed enough for her to be able to work.  
It took the better part of an hour for Sally, with trembling hands, to sew up the wound while Eidra dabbed at the oozing blood. Loki sat at the table, arm outstretched, pale, his jaw set. He would wince at each puncture of the needle though he uttered not a word. Eidra did her best to soothe him, sitting beside him, telling him to squeeze her hand when he felt the need.   
“I fear I would hurt you,” he smiled wanly, “Do not fret.”  
Watching Sally at her task, Eidra was reminded of that night an age ago.   
“Do you recall when I had to fetch Clotho to sew up the wound you received on your shoulder when you fell from your horse?” She had looked at the jagged scar countless times, nipped at it, kissed it as they coupled,traced it with her finger as they basked in the afterglow.  
Loki frowned, however, “In the dark times before I knew your heart.” He winced again, “I shudder to visit such memories.”  
Eidra felt a rush of love so intense, she lay her head upon his shoulder, closing her eyes. “Those dark times brought us together.”  
He lay his cheek atop her head, “An' for nothing else would I see you endure such a trial again.”  
“All finished.” Sally breathed. “Let's wrap it in linen now shall we?”

All day Sally fretted about her workmanship as Loki came inside from his chores to change the bloody bandage twice throughout the day. By that evening, the bleeding had ceased altogether but the arm was sore. He refused to seek out Petter, however, and soon after the evening meal, retired to bed.  
“Will Papa be alright?” Fen asked as he played at the table with the newly carved elephant Chris had finished that afternoon.  
“Of course he shall,” Chris piped up, “The body heals itself but expends energy in doing so. Your Papa needs his rest.”  
Fen looked to Eidra who nodded in assent, holding up the blanket, finally finished, for Helgi and Sally to see.  
“You do such beautiful work, pet,” Helgi breathed, reaching over to finger the hem.  
“I shall put it in the wardrobe to await the baby's arrival,” As Eidra rose from her chair, a sharp flash of pain raced across her lower back, causing her to sit back down quickly.  
“Poppet, what in the gods names is wrong?” Helgi was at her side at once.  
“ 'Tis nothing only my back yet again,” Eidra smoothed her hand across her belly, feeling the pain start to subside, “I am going to pack the blanket away and retire with Loki.”  
She caught the look of concern which passed between Sally and Helgi as she bent over to kiss Fen goodnight, “When Helgi says it is time for bed. It is time, do you ken?”  
“Yes, Mama, I love you,”  
“And I love you. Do not tire Chris out.” She winked at Chris who was currently playing the role of Mr. and Mrs. Giraffe.  
“Not at all, my dear girl. I delight in his company. Go rest.”  
She left the common room for the silence of her bedchamber. Loki lay facing away from the door. He sighed deeply as she slid under the coverlet beside him.  
“Does it still pain you?” She whispered.  
“It throbs. I shall break down on the morrow and visit Petter to see if he has something to ease my discomfort.” He curled into her as she draped her arm around his stomach as far as her belly would allow. “You do not know how very much your mere presence soothes me.”  
“As much as you do for me,” She returned, kissing his back and closing her eyes, “And more.”

 

But her eyes did not stay closed for long. She was restless. Twice she struck his arm, waking him up with a yelp, every so often, she would change position but her back continued to ache. Finally, when the house was still, she rose from the bed and walked out into the common room.   
The fire had been banked. She took a piece of tinder from the wood box, leaning over to catch it on fire. After a moment, the dry wood caught and she stood up to light the oil lamp on the table. It was then that she felt a trickle of warmth run down the inside of one leg, sure at first her bladder had given way but at the sharp twinge of pain across her back stronger than it had been earlier that evening, she knew.  
She stumbled backwards from the fire to her rocking chair where she steadied herself, panic racing her heart, freezing her in place.   
“Not again,” She whimpered, cradling her belly, “Not again.”  
She eased herself to the rocking chair, taking uneven breaths, willing her body to relax until she felt confident enough to stand. Pushing herself to her feet, she took a few steps towards the bedchamber where Loki lay, still asleep, and was brought nearly to a squat as another contraction took all strength from her legs. She let out a breathy whine as she braced herself with her hands to the floor, wanting to call out for help but unwilling to frighten the whole household awake. As she knelt on the floor she heard the slap of bare feet upon the floorboards and suddenly Loki's hands were underneath her armpits, lifting her toward the rocking chair again.  
“Gods, Eidra, what happened? Are you hurt?”   
He had one hand on her belly, the other on her cheek as he hovered over her but she shook her head, making every effort to sound calmer than she felt, “Call Helgi. My water has broken.”   
“No, it cannot be!”The color drained from his face as he rushed to Helgi's door and flung it open.  
Eidra heard Helgi's muffled response, “It is too early!” and Chris's snort from the adjacent bedchamber as he woke, “What ho? What's the trouble?”  
A moment later, Helgi was at her side, her hand atop Eidra's belly, Sally right behind her, squinting as Loki lit the lantern on the table.   
“Rock hard. Child, the Gods help us. You are in labor!”  
“I will fetch Petter and the midwife,” Loki rushed to the pegs by the door, “Oh that we could have Clotho here.”  
He had just laid a hand on his cloak when Eidra called out to him.   
“Loki, wait!” She sat forward in the chair, hands clasped below her chin, “I pray you will ken my plea when I beg of you, take me to Midgard.”  
Loki stood open mouthed, stunned, “At a time such as this? Woman you are feverish. Let the women tend to you. I will fetch Petter,”   
He had his hand on the door handle when Eidra cried, “Loki please? I fear there is something wrong again. The Midgardian agent Lily told me the doctors on Midgard could work magic with babies who had arrived far earlier than this..uhhnn...” She moaned again as another contraction took hold of her.   
“Please.”  
Helgi and Sally looked first to Loki then to Eidra and back again as he wrestled with his hatred of Midgard, his love for Eidra, the abject fear he felt for the fate of his unborn child.  
Chris appeared in the bedchamber doorway, leaning upon his cane, “My boy. We'll see to things here. Trust in yourself to keep her safe. You've not failed her yet.”  
Loki looked at Chris, gave a nod, reached for Eidra's cloak and strode to the rocking chair.   
“We will return as soon as we can,” He lifted Eidra from the rocking chair, draping her cloak around her shoulders. As he did so, she noticed his wound had bled again during the night.  
“Loki, we must change the bandage...”  
“There is no time. Helgi, send a message to my brother by courier that I have gone to Midgard.”  
“I shall...Loki, will she be safe there?” Helgi cupped Eidra's face, kissing her cheek.  
“I will let nothing happen to her or the baby, upon my life. Now help me walk her outside. I would not open the Uruz inside the cottage.”

 

Bruce yawned, scratched his head. He would have much preferred working in Stark's labs but the information he needed was here at the S.H.I.E.L.D home office. He'd been up since five that previous morning when his plane had landed at LaGuardia and he'd gotten into the limo that was parked on the tarmac waiting for him.  
Now, hefting his satchel on his shoulder, he watched the numbers change on the screen above the elevator door, all that was left for him to do would be to get a few hours sleep and catch his return flight to Calcutta. He looked at his watch. “Three-forty in the morning, Jesus. Not a hell of a lot of time...”  
The elevator door slid open to the third floor and Bruce stepped out, nodding to a passing agent who addressed him as he entered the elevator in turn. “Morning, Doctor Banner.”  
“Morning.” He'd just reached the door to the R&D department where he'd told Fury he was going to crash for a bit on the office cot when the lights in the corridor dimmed. He stared up at the ceiling wondering if he was so tired, he was hallucinating. Movement to his right caught his eye and he turned his head to see two figures heading toward him. As they neared, Bruce felt as if every hair on his head had stood straight in the air, his exhaustion forgotten.  
Bruce backed into the wall as Loki stopped before him, his arm about the waist of a very pregnant, beautiful woman, her face bathed in sweat.  
“You have to help her.” It was a statement, not a request but Bruce stood there unable to move until Loki grabbed his shirtsleeve, “The baby is coming!”  
Bruce reached out an arm to steady her as she doubled over, gasping for breath. He could feel Loki's eyes boring into him.  
“Come with me. let's get her to an exam room. ”

Banner watched through the glass as Loki stood beside the bed, stroking Eidra's forehead while they talked.   
“I'm not sure how far along she is. We'd need an ultrasound to tell for certain. She's definitely in labor though.”  
“Well what do you suggest?”  
Banner looked at Fury incredulously, “What do you mean, what do I suggest? I suggest we get her to Bellevue, see if we can stop her labor or at least slow it down but the longer we stand here and talk, the worse it's gonna get.”  
“I've called Stark. He's on his way here. I'm going to get an Evac unit to the roof. I don't want her on city streets in a goddamn ambulance.”  
“You called Tony? Hey you know I like the guy. I like him just fine but...he's a bit touchy about...ya know...him.” Banner jerked a thumb at the glass, grateful that Loki could not see them, “He's not gonna come in like gangbusters is he?”  
Fury had his phone out, “I advised him of the situation I also suggested he come prepared to play nice so I think we're good...”  
“You think....so when they take her to the hospital what's going to happen with um...Loki?”  
Fury stared at him, “What do you mean what's going to happen?”  
“Well he's going to want to go with her. I can't say as I blame him plus he's really touchy about letting her out of his sight. He's even worse when someone touches her.”  
Once in the exam room, Banner and an agent had helped her up onto the table where Banner had guided her heels into the stirrups for the exam. So far Loki had not interfered, watching Banner and the agent closely but when Banner had touched her stomach to feel the baby's position, Loki had nearly leaped over the table at him.  
Banner had stood his ground, however, glaring at Loki who stood nearly nose to nose with him. “I can't examine her without touching her!”  
Eidra, by then, had reached up between them to push Loki away, “Loki, he is doing nothing wrong! Mind your manners!”  
Banner was surprised to see Loki back down then, properly chastised as Bruce continued to feel along her stomach.  
“Another thing,” Bruce reached for a surgical glove from a box sitting on a shelf beside him, “You might want to get used to strange people doing a whole lot of this while you're here.”  
“She insisted we come,” Loki muttered, “I would much rather be home.” 

 

“On the roof in ten, right.” Fury looked up from the phone at Bruce. “He should stay here.”  
Bruce had to laugh out loud, “If you think he's going to let her go anywhere without him, you've got a very precarious grasp on what it's like to be a father.” Bruce stared through the glass and this time was startled to see Loki staring back at him.  
“Well I don't want him loose in New York, it can't be that hard a concept to grasp, Banner.”  
“So send agents with him,” Bruce looked away to Fury, “Stark is coming too. Together I think we create a pretty impressive stopgap measure, besides I think world domination is the last thing on his mind right now.”  
Fury frowned at him, “The one rule I've always lived by, and it's served me quite well, is that one never blinks in these situations. Don't underestimate him.”  
Banner watched Eidra's face contort in pain as another contraction wracked her body and Loki's look of desperation as he scanned the room.  
“Hey I don't relish the idea anymore than you do but he's an expectant dad, I've seen the look before.”  
Fury joined him as, staring through the window as Loki held Eidra's hand to his lips.  
“You want him to go with her, then you're going to join us. He'd think twice about acting out with you there.”  
Banner scratched his head, “I got a flight to catch in two hours.”  
Fury put a hand at Banner's back, “And you will have a flight after this is all said and done, my treat. Now let's get going, the helicopter is on its way.”

They could hear the loud thunder of the helicopter, its blades vibrating the early morning air as the elevator door opened. Two agents pushed the gurney out into the lower level of the hangar and stopped.   
“She's going to have to climb the stairs to the roof. Will she be okay to do that?” One of the agents looked to Fury.  
“She's gonna have to be.”  
Before the agent could give Eidra his hand, however, Loki was helping her to sit up. She slid to the floor, her arm around his waist as he admonished her, “Do not exert yourself. Just lean on me.”  
As they reached the bottom of the steps, panic started to set in and she backed against him to whisper in his ear.  
“What is up there? Loki is it safe?”  
Loki led her up the first few steps, glancing down at the others as they watched from the bottom.  
“Yes it is safe. They are going to bring us to a place called a hospital. There you will be cared for.”  
Another couple steps, “And the baby too, they will care for the baby?”  
“Of course..”  
The door at the top of the stairs flew open with a bang and Loki looked up see Stark coming down the steps towards him, “You know, twice in one year with you is a record. Are you gonna make this a habit?”  
Eidra stopped suddenly, gripping Loki's hand hard, breathed, “Oh my..”  
Loki held her tighter to him as Tony moved to help.   
“Hey, no having babies in the hangar. It's bad luck.” Tony took her other arm, draping it over his neck, ignoring Loki's glare as they guided her up the stairs to the open door. Eidra could feel the rush of air coming through it and fear overtook her again. She nearly backed down the stairs as she saw the helicopter sitting on the rooftop looking like a giant bird with blades on its head and tail.  
“Loki,” she moaned, “Odin's beard...”  
But Stark was propelling her forward up the last few steps, “It's a helicopter, it'll get you to the hospital a lot faster than an ambulance.”  
She stepped out onto the landing pad, moving as close as she dared then stopped, turning to Tony, “How will this...thing...bring me to this hospital?”  
“It's going to fly you there, sweetheart,” he shot a glance at Loki, “Honestly, haven't you told her anything about the wonders here on...Midgard, right? That what you call the Earth?” He gently urged Eidra forward, “Come on, we don't want you giving birth overlooking the Manhattan skyline.”   
With a last look at the giant blades rotating slowly over her head, she closed her eyes, allowing herself to be helped inside to a gurney by two medics.  
While they secured her on a gurney for the flight, Fury sat down beside Banner, Stark taking the seat across from them as Loki knelt beside Eidra, watching the medics closely. One medic, a young man with blue eyes and short red hair wrapped a heavy cuff around her arm.  
“What is this?” She raised her head as he started to inflate the cuff, “Oh it is tightening!”  
“We're just checking your blood pressure, ma'am,” the medic glance at Loki, “ Might be a little uncomfortable for a moment but we're not going to hurt you okay?”  
Eidra nodded, groped for Loki's hand, struggling to keep her demeanor even as the cuff became unbearable and all at once it was over.  
“One-thirty over eighty-five. A little high, probably because you're nervous. Does high blood pressure run in your family?” He wrote the numbers on a roll of tape he'd stuck on the railing of the gurney.  
“I do not know what blood pressure is.”  
The medic looked at his partner and raised an eyebrow, “Well blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries....”  
“Arteries....I..,”  
“Forget the anatomy lesson. She's not from around here, Nickerson,” Fury grumbled, “Get on with it.”  
“Yes sir,” Nickerson slid a plastic tray covered with clear wrap from beneath the gurmey and split it open, laying it in her lap.   
“We're going to start an IV before we take off.”  
Fury caught the look which passed between Banner and Stark as Nickerson took a stretchy band and tied it around Eidra's right forearm.  
He turned her hand over and started to tap the top of her hand, “This your first baby?”  
Eidra shook her head, “My fourth.”  
“Then this is old hat for you.” He smiled at her, took a little square cloth and rubbed the top of her hand.  
“What was that? It is cold. Was this the ivy?” She could feel Loki's hand at her shoulder, trembling.  
“I.V.” Nickerson chuckled, “Not ivy, and that was alcohol, to sterilize the skin. You're gonna feel a little pinch okay? Just hold still,” He bent her hand forward.  
Stark had time to utter, “Uh...maybe..,” before Eidra exclaimed, “What..OW!”  
As soon as the word was out of her mouth, Loki had the medic pinned by the throat to the interior wall of the helicopter. Banner and Stark were immediately on either side of him trying to pull him away as the medic clawed at Loki's hand, his eyes wide, mouth gaping.  
“What did you do to her!?” Loki roared.  
“He was doing what he's supposed to do, just starting an IV,” Banner shouted, yanking on his arm with all his might.  
“Banner,” Stark grunted, “Why don't you sit down, okay? I got this!”  
“I'm fine...Loki!”  
Fury had sidestepped around them by now, and was leaning over Loki's shoulder, inches from his face. He could hear Eidra yelling at Loki to stop.  
“You came here asking us to help and this is exactly what we're trying to do. Now do we let the medic put the IV in so we can get your wife to the hospital or do I have to detain you here in a holding cell because I am not going to play referee every time your wife has a hiccup. Do I make myself clear?”  
“Loki, please let him go!” Eidra groaned as another contraction gripped her.   
Loki opened his hand and the medic slid down to kneel on the helicopter floor, seized with violent coughing, his partner at his side. “Sit tight, Dan. I'll finish the IV.”  
“Come on, big guy. You gotta be strapped in for this bird to take off,” Stark guided Loki to a seat, sitting him down, helping him get strapped in, “Now, we'll tell you everything they're doing to her, alright? I promise they're only trying to help.” As Dan's partner knelt beside the gurney and picked up Eidra's arm, Loki tensed but remained where he was as the medic swabbed her hand again. “Okay now this is going to sting a bit, alright? Just relax.”  
Eidra, exhausted by the latest contraction, could only nod. She set her jaw, panting as the pain in her hand blazed white hot for a moment not daring to cry out for fear Loki break the seat straps to reach her. Soon enough, though, the pain subsided and the medic was taping the little needle to her hand.  
“All done,” he lifted an intravenous bag, as he did so calling to the pilot in the cockpit, “We're ready to go.”  
The helicopter rose into the sky above Manhattan to start its five minute flight to the rooftop of Bellevue. Eidra closed her eyes tightly to shut out the terrifying view through the helicopter windows.  
“The IV is mostly used to administer medicine directly into the bloodstream when we want it to take effect as quickly as possible.” Banner said as he peered out the window at the city below. Repeating what he knew as if he were teaching a classroom full of interns always helped him to focus, to swallow his rage, “I don't know how they do things back on Asgard, but here we try to help our fellow man, or woman as is the case. We're not going to do anything to hurt your wife.”  
Loki scowled, seemed to retreat into himself, keeping his eyes on the floor of the helicopter as Tony looked him over.   
“You know, I should've had you change. You look like you just stepped out of the Renaissance exhibit at the Museum of Natural history, Jarvis?”  
A silken voice filled the cabin, “Yes sir.”  
Fury shook his head, “What must it be like in your world?”  
Tony held his hand up, “Have a couple suits sent to the maternity ward at Bellevue.” he sized Loki up, “Something in a large and tall.”  
“I see, sir. Are congratulations in order?”  
“If they were, you'd be the first to know, whether I liked it or not,” he waved at Loki, “These you can keep too, since it seems you're gonna be a frequent flyer now.  
Loki looked across to Eidra though he addressed Stark in a tremulous voice, “Forgive my ignorance of your customs. I only wish to protect my wife from harm. She is my heart. I live for her, I would die for her.”  
Tony tapped the screen of his phone, stared at Pepper's face, “Well, we barbarians here on Earth feel the same way about our own. Maybe if you'd find more out about us before you passed judgment, things would be going a lot smoother right now..oh by the way, your daughter is doing well in school. She's getting good grades, making friends. You could learn a trick or two from her.”   
Loki whirled around to stare at him, “How do you know of her progress?”  
“We keep an eye on her,” Fury muttered, considered giving Stark a good shove out of the helicopter for opening his mouth, “As we said we were going to. Stark here has made it his personal duty to keep his own tabs...”  
From the gurney, came Eidra's small voice, “We thank you for that.”  
Tony sat forward to smile at her.   
“Oh you're welcome. It's my pleasure,” He winked at Loki as the helicopter touched down with a jolt, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand. The side doors slid open to a trio of paramedics who reached for the gurney.  
Tony threw his safety belt off and stood up, “Okay last stop, all out.” He offered his hand to Loki who ignored it though he stood with him, watching the paramedics as they eased the gurney down to the rooftop. Tony clapped him on the back as he squeezed by him to jump down from the helicopter “Come on, Old MacDonald, let's get this party started.”


	24. 24

The unit nurse had come in with the arrival of the obstetrician, an older man with gray hair and a gentle mien, asking everyone but the father to leave the room until the exam was finished. At first Fury refused to budge until the nurse had threatened to call security. He relented then, grumbling to himself, “ ….damned if I come to your rescue when he flips out.”  
Dr. Owens smiled up at Eidra as he pulled the blanket back up over her belly, took off his rubber gloves and tossed them in the waste basket.  
“The baby seems to be in the breech position. Normally I'd recommend terbutaline to stop the contractions but she's already dilated three centimeters. It's too late for that so I'm going to recommend we take the baby. The baby's heart rate keeps dropping with each contraction.”  
“What do you mean? Take the baby where?” Loki reached for Eidra's hand, squeezed it.  
Dr. Owens gestured for the unit nurse “I mean we're going to perform a caesarean section. You said this is your fourth child?”  
Eidra spoke up then, “We have never been to a hospital to give birth. I had all my children in my own bed.”  
“Home births, right. Seeing more and more of those these days. Well I think the situation here warrants it. The baby is premature and in the wrong position. I don't advise waiting to see if the baby turns and finding out at the last minute that it hasn't.” Dr. Owens nodded to Loki, “You'll be allowed to be present at the operation...”  
“I do not ken....operation...”  
“It means they're going to open her up and take the baby.” A voice came from behind him, he turned to see Tony with an armful of suits. “Wardrobe arrived, just in time too. We gotta get you prettied up to meet your newest edition.”

 

Loki looked down at the white shirt, recalling the last time he'd worn a suit like this. He hated buttons.  
“My wife is about to have a baby. What does it matter how I am dressed?”  
Stark shook his head as he glanced at the linen wrap around Loki's arm. The blood which had seeped through had now turned brown.  
“They have to prep for surgery and they don't need our help so you might as well make good use of free time. You sure you don't want that slice looked at, big fella? Those shirts are silk.”  
Loki snorted, “And what would they do that hasn't already been done?”  
“They'd stitch it up and sterilize it. Did you wash it out? You don't know fun until you've gotten blood poisoning.”  
Loki narrowed his eyes at Stark, “I cleaned the wound and had it sewn together. Primitive though we may seem, you might allow us some measure of common sense.” he winced as he put his arm in the shirt sleeve. “I will tend to the bandages later.”  
“You look handsome, my prince.” Eidra murmured as he appeared around the side of the curtain the nurse had drawn into the room, “Oh here comes another....oh!.” She began to breathe deep as the nurse had suggested, her hands twisted into the blanket over her legs. After they'd been settled into a private room, the nurse had wheeled in a cabinet, placing it beside her bed. “It's going to monitor your baby's heart rate and your contractions.” She'd explained as she wrapped a strap around Eidra's belly. Now a high pitched ping sounded from the tall box.  
The nurse walked into the room and looked at the monitor, “How you doing sweetie?”  
Eidra nodded, dropping her head back onto the pillow, “Tired,”  
The nurse smiled, “It's a lotta work. Pretty soon though, you'll be holding that baby in your arms....that's when the real work begins.”  
“How true.” Eidra replied as they chuckled together.  
The nurse took one more look at the monitor, “They're just setting up the OR. They'll be down to get you very shortly.”  
Tony who'd been sitting in one of the easy chairs against the wall glanced up at Loki, “Listen, tell me you understand what's going to happen when they take her to the operating room. You're not going to get how you get, right?”  
“I do not ken. You said they are not going to hurt her, have you lied to me?”  
Banner looked to Tony, then to Loki who had the suit jacket draped over one arm, his gaze trained on them. Stsrk held up his hands.  
“I didn't lie. The end result is that you will have your baby safe and healthy but there are unpleasant procedures she has to go through, that's all. Starting the epidural can hurt, you may think they're doing something wrong but they aren't. This is important. Do not flip out.”  
“Flip out.....”  
“Jesus, I mean don't start breaking shit and punching people.” Tony stood up and straightened his collar.  
“After this...epidural....then what will they do?” Loki moved closer to him, his voice low.  
Banner watched Tony fidgeting with his watch.  
“They will make sure she's numb,” Banner leaned back against the windowsill, “ then they will make a cut through the epidermal layer..”  
“What!” Loki cried, backing to Eidra's bed.  
“Listen,” Stark pointed at him, “I got dragged out of my bed real early this morning to come and babysit you once again so I'm going to put this into terms even a child could understand. A c-section is an operation in which they surgically remove the baby from the mother's womb. They cut into her, take the baby, sew her back up,” He gestured to Loki's forearm, “Just like your friend did with your wound but if you prevent the operation from happening, if she continues to labor like this, you could lose both her and the baby.”  
Loki glared at him, “Will they keep her safe?”  
Tony gave him a curt nod at first then with more conviction, “Yes they will.”  
“Are we ready to have a baby?”  
They turned to see a nurse and an attendant entering the room. The nurse turned off the monitor Eidra had been strapped to and unsnapped the belt.  
“We won't need this pretty soon.” she pulled up a pole on the bed, slipped the IV bag onto it. “You excited?”  
Eidra smiled, “Beyond measure,”  
The nurse returned the smile, “I have two children and it was a thrill each time. Now before we head to the OR, I've got some things for you to sign, permission for us to perform the operation, indemnity, notification that your baby will probably be spending some time in the Neonatal Intensive care unit because it's premature. Here,” she handed Eidra a clipboard and a pen. “See that line, sign your name right there,” She flipped another paper and another and yet another waiting as Eidra stared at the pen shaking her head.  
“Ingenious.” Eidra wrote on the lines where the nurse had indicated, finally handing her the clipboard. The nurse scanned the sheets, her brow furrowing as she started to turn to the attendant, “Sam, uh...I can't understand what she....”  
Tony slipped the clipboard from the nurse's hand, setting it at the end of the bed, “She was raised in Russia. It's all good,” he nodded to the attendant, “Sam, take 'er away.”  
The attendant shrugged, stepped on a lever below the bed and started pushing it towards the doorway. “Okay, here we go.”

The hallway was bustling with people. Loki noted that there were at least three agents following only steps behind as they headed down the corridor to the operating room. Tony waved to a tall, leggy blond in slacks and a sweater who had been waiting out in the hallway and she fell in step beside them.  
When they reached the OR doors, Loki was grateful for the chance to leave the rest of the entourage behind. As they emerged into a large room filled with lights, metal trays and strange beeps, a nurse handed him a yellow robe.  
“This is a sterile environment so you need to wear this gown. You put it on backwards, opening in the back.” She stood waiting until he shrugged it on and proceeded to tie it at his neck, “And try to get some of that long hair beneath this hairnet.”  
Loki stared at the round cap she had placed in his hand.  
“It's okay if you don't get it all. Just try to get it tucked a bit.”  
“All this to deliver a baby?” Loki sighed.

Save for the trip to Alfheim to appear before the High Court, Eidra could not remember having been more afraid than she was at that moment as they sat her up on the operating table, told her to bend forward and hold still. While they swabbed the skin at the small of her back, another nurse had gathered the clipboard and was looking at the papers. “This writing looks like Gaelic.”  
Eidra put her head up, “You know this language?”  
“My ancestors are Irish and Scottish so I've done a lot of genealogy work. I've seen this writing on old documents but I've never seen anyone actually use it. What's your name, dear?”  
“Eidra,” She grunted as they began to press along her back, she could feel another contraction coming on and all at once heard a voice at her back, “A little pinch and pressure, tell us if you feel anything out of the ordinary, cramps in the legs.”  
She winced at the needle stick, felt the pressure at her back and whimpered. She was terrified. A sharp zing of pain raced down one leg.  
“Gods!” she grunted but just as suddenly as it hit her, the pain disappeared.  
“You're doing great, hon. Just a minute more and we'll be done,” The nurse at her side rubbed her hand. All at once a feeling of relief washed over her as the nurse patted her shoulder.  
“Okay, we're all plugged in. In a few moments, you'll have a brand new baby.”  
The nurses eased her back down on the table and began to cover her up with blue linen squares.  
“Feeling anything now?”  
She turned her head to the right and saw Doctor Owens smiling at her. He was dressed in light green clothes covering up the ones he already had on.  
“I feel nothing.”  
She felt them moving her about, knew they were rubbing something on her belly, she could see them doing so but could not feel it upon her skin.  
Doctor Owens took out something pointed, it looked like a pen but it was all silver, and he began to poke her belly. “Tell me when you start to feel this.”  
She saw his hand move further up her belly but she still felt nothing. Finally he reached a spot just under her breasts.  
“There,”  
“Okay I think it's time to introduce you to the newest member of your family.”  
Another nurse put a frame over her chest and draped another blue linen over it. When she asked what it was for, the nurse laughed.  
“Think of it as a splash guard, things can get messy down there. I'm going to get your husband in here and we'll be ready to go.”  
Moments later, she was looking up into the most beautiful pair of eyes in the world. Loki put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her forehead. He had donned a gown similar to Doctor Owen's.  
The nurse slid a chair beside the gurney.  
“Just in case you need it.”  
But he remained standing, watching the doctor make the first incision. Another nurse had wheeled in a covered plastic bin on a stand. There were so many people in the room, it made him feel a bit anxious, overwhelmed and he kept his hand at her shoulder. She always made him feel better, the touch of her skin alone enough to calm him.  
Eidra, however, felt disoriented, removed from the whole experience unsure if it was the medicine they had given her of the fact that she was a world away from her own bed. She tried to raise her head up but found it felt so heavy she couldn't quite do it.  
“Loki,” her voice sounded far away, “What are they doing?”  
“It seems as if they are reaching inside to find the baby.” He was spellbound, his fingers caressing her cheek. He watched the doctor shift his hands around, “Nurse, suction, right there, okay, ready?”  
The doctor lifted his hands and Loki could finally see that which he'd felt moving for the last eight moons.  
“Congratulations, it's a beautiful little girl!”  
The nurses clapped but the moment was short lived as all at once they wrapped the infant in a blanket and whisked her away to the table with the lamp. Loki started over to it but one of the nurses gently headed him off, steering him to the side.  
“They need room to work on her, okay? She's going to be fine.”  
But she didn't look fine, in fact she wasn't moving. The doctor and the nurses were hunched over her, tapping her feet, gently rubbing her skin which was a deep red almost to purple.  
“Come on honey, let's get that motor started.” one of the nurses cooed.  
His legs felt weak, he was trembling. He wanted to cry out to her, tell her to fight back but his tongue felt pasted to the roof of his mouth. Suddenly her tiny arms flailed outward and she gave a small squeak. Loki's heart felt fair to bursting as the nurses cheered. “There you go, sweetie.”  
She let out another squeak and Loki smiled, his cheeks wet with tears. In that moment it was just the two of them, him and his new daughter. The nurse who had previously held him from the warmer now waved him over.  
“Come on, Dad. Say hello.”  
He touched her hand with a finger and she immediately took hold, gripping his forefinger as she started to flail, weakly. Too soon, they were lifting her from the warmer and putting her into the plastic basin.  
“We're taking her to the NICU.” The nurse explained, seeing Loki's confusion, “She's going to need some extra oxygen and antibiotics because her lungs aren't developed enough yet. You go tend to the mama. We'll come and get you when she's been settled in, okay?”  
He returned to Eidra's side where they were starting to stitch her up, stood there, disoriented, lost. Eidra had closed her eyes. Needing comfort, he stroked her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, “Where is the baby?”  
“They have taken her.”  
“Where?” She raised her head, wanting to move, to jump from the table but her body felt made of stone. Loki put his hand on her forehead, “They took her to help her. She is small. We will see her soon. Rest, my heart. You have done very well.”  
Her smile faded quickly as exhaustion started to overtake her. “Might we name her Cait?”  
“If that is your wish, so be it.”  
Her smile returned, “It is.” His hand stroked her hair, easing her mind, relaxing her body and finally she gave in, closing her eyes for the final time, falling into a dreamless sleep.


	25. 25

The voices, though they were talking quietly, broke the silence that had permeated the room and Eidra opened her eyes seeing, not her husband, but a woman in a gray pant suit, speaking with a heavyset nurse in blue scrubs with yellow ducks all over it. She reminded Eidra vaguely of Artra. As her eyes began to focus, she recognized the other woman.  
“Lily?” she rasped.  
She was so dry. She wanted to ask the nurse for a drink but couldn't form the words.  
Both women looked at the bed and smiled.  
“Well it seems the new mommy is awake,” The nurse leaned over beside the bed and Eidra felt herself start to rise until she was sitting up. She shifted position a little and was rewarded by sharp prickles of pain across her abdomen that dulled to a throb.  
“My name is Anne, I'll be your day nurse today. I wrote my name on the board hanging on the closet, don't be afraid to ask for me by name,” She adjusted the blanket for Eidra, “Now on a scale from one to ten, ten being the worse you can imagine, how is your pain?”  
Eidra moved again, she felt as if she'd been run over by a wagon and team of four. “Water..”  
Anne chuckled, “Now I don't remember counting like that in elementary school. Let's try this, are you in a lot of pain?”  
Eidra nodded, “... parched.”  
Anne hit the button on the blood pressure monitor that Eidra had been hooked up to since she'd been brought into the operating room and the band started to tighten around her arm.  
“Okay,I'm going to get your vitals and check your chart. Open your mouth,” Eidra did as she was bid and Anne popped a thermometer inside. Eidra was becoming rather used to the strange practices on Midgard. She was proud of the fact that she had stopped panicking every time someone approached her now.  
“No fever,” She watched the monitor until the cuff deflated and wrote the numbers in the chart she'd taken down from the hook by the door.  
“I'll go get you something for pain. You can have Tylenol. Then we'll get you out of bed and sitting in a chair. You feel up to that?”  
“I shall try. Where is my husband?”  
Anne hung the chart back on the hook. “He's still down in the NICU with the baby as far as I know. We'll get you up and on your feet so you can go see her, too.”  
As the nurse left the room, Eidra turned to Lily, “I am so happy to see you.”  
Lily smiled at her, “When I heard what had happened, I put my name on the list to...” She hesitated but Eidra finished for her..  
“Babysit us?”  
Lily looked away, “I prefer to call it standing watch, that way it doesn't sound so bad.”  
“Why must we be watched in the first place?”  
Soon after they had come to stay in Rialo with Ren, Eidra had asked Loki about the years they were absent from one another. He had refused to tell her what had happened, insisting time and again that the past didn't matter anymore and so she had let the matter drop. The treatment they received each time they were on Midgard, however, had returned to her mind those very same long ago unanswered questions. One day in the future, she would ask him again.  
“I'm afraid the details of my orders are classified, I'm sorry, Eidra, truly I am.”  
Eidra shrugged, “Eventually he will tell me. Do not trouble yourself.”  
She turned to her side and swung her legs out over the floor as Lily stood up, “Hey wait for the nurse.”  
“I shall, only I am restless.”  
Lily clasped her hands behind her back, “So what did you name her?”  
“Cait. The name holds special meaning to us.”  
“What about a middle name?”  
“What is a middle name?”  
Lily put her hand to her chest, “My name is Lily Beth Andrews, you see?”  
“So your middle name is Beth. I see....we do not use them.”  
Anne had returned by then, seeing Eidra sitting on the side of the bed. “Well you're halfway there already. Eager to see the baby huh?”  
Eidra nodded, “Very much.”  
She took Eidra by the hands, “Put your arms around my neck....yup, just like that. Now use me to steady yourself as you get up but push with your legs to stand. Don't pull yourself with your arms.”  
Eidra stood slowly, the pain in her lower belly screaming at her and she moaned.  
It's going to be a sore few days,” Anne grunted, “but once you see that little girl, it'll all go away.”  
Anne turned Eidra about, easing her into the recliner beside the bed, kneeling down in front of her where she took a pair of red socks out of her scrubs pocket, slipping them on Eidra's feet. Eidra looked down, tilted her head.  
“The stockings are smiling at me.”  
There were smiley faces pasted on the top of each sock. Anne laughed.  
“It's to remind you to be happy. Did it work?”  
Eidra shook her head and the nurse laughed again. “Well it worked for me,”  
The nurse stood up, “Are you going to breastfeed?”  
Eidra gave her a curious look, “Of course, how would the baby eat if I did not. Do you have wet nurses here?”  
“Not in this century. If the mother doesn't breastfeed, they use formula like Enfamil or Similac.”  
At Eidra's look of confusion, Anne put her hands on her hips, “I take it you've breastfed your other children?”  
Eidra nodded, “There was no choice.”  
“Can I ask a personal question?”  
Eidra looked to Lily, “Yes.”  
And Lily was on the alert.  
“Are you from one of those groups that reject modern technology?”  
Eidra was about to answer, “I am from Asgard.” when Lily spoke up.  
“They're from a very remote area, geographically isolated.”  
Eidra caught Lily's eye and the return look she gave was enough to hold Eidra's tongue still.  
“Have you ever expressed breast milk before?”  
Eidra shook her head, “What does it mean?”  
Anne held up a finger, “Hold on,” walked over to the sink near the bathroom and picked up a brightly colored satchel. She sat it on the bed table beside Eidra.  
“This is for you. There's a lot of great stuff in here. Pamphlets, coupons, a soft rattle for the new baby..”  
She rummaged inside and pulled out a small booklet which read “Breastfeeding your baby” handing it to Eidra who politely thumbed through it though she could not read one word.  
“You'll need to express milk because premature babies can't latch on at first. They're too small, they're sometimes too fragile to be held yet but it's important for them to have that milk so we have a machine that takes the milk from you and puts it in a bottle. You read that booklet and I'll go get the pump. We can try it and then we can bring the milk to the NICU.”  
When the nurse was out of the room, Eidra handed the booklet to Lily, “I cannot read Midgardian.”  
As Lily perused the booklet, Eidra was quiet for a moment, then, “I am beginning to ken, people here do not know of Asgard.”  
Lily bit her lip, “Not many people do, no.” She hated to lie to her but she felt it was in Eidra's best interest. There was no reason to upset her at this point, no reason to explain to her that until Thor showed up on Earth some years ago, Asgard was only a myth.  
“Then I shall say nothing of it if you think it best.”  
“Let's keep it our secret for now.” Lily nodded.  
Anne had returned by then. In her hands was a small light green box with a cord attached to it. She set it on the table, reached around to the wall and plugged it in, then handed Eidra what looked like a large clear cup with a bottle attached to it. As the nurse began to explain what it was for, Lily started to move for the door, intending to give them privacy but Eidra called to her, “Lily, please stay.”  
So Lily sat back down in the chair at the end of the bed and tried to politely look elsewhere though it proved hard.  
“There's nothing to it.” The nurse started to loosen Eidra's gown at the neck to draw out a breast. Eidra's eyes grew wide, her mouth opened in an O. Lily had to stifle a giggle when she chanced a glance at Eidra's crimson face. She was smiling back at Lily and Lily knew a connection had been made between them.

 

The walk to the NICU was laborious. She still felt weak and each step brought a stab of pain though it was muted by the little white pills the nurse had given her to take after she had finished with the breast pump. Now with the bottle of breast milk in hand, Eidra took Lily's offered arm gratefully, apologizing at her slow pace.  
At last they arrived at the reception area and Eidra sat down on one of the couches to catch her breath while Lily spoke to the unit nurse behind the front desk. The nurse walked over to Eidra.  
“Let me see your I.D. Bracelet.”  
Eidra lifted her arm to show the nurse the blue band around her left wrist. The nurse looked at the clipboard in the crook of her arm. “Alright come with me.”  
Lily helped Eidra to her feet and they started after the nurse but when they reached the door to the unit itself, the nurse turned to Lily. “I'm sorry, only immediate family is allowed in at this time.”  
Lily smiled at Eidra, crooking her finger at the nurse, drawing her aside. Eidra saw Lily take a wallet from her suit pocket and open it for the nurse who wore a suspicious expression on her face. Lily then leaned over and whispered something in the nurse's ear whereas she sighed loudly.  
“You'll need to put on sterile gowns before you enter the main room.”  
They entered a small room with shelves of gowns, boxes of caps and booties all made of the same material. Eidra sat down to rest on one of the benches along the wall. The nurse took two gowns from the shelf, handing them to Eidra and Lily.  
“When you're ready, you may go in.”  
While Eidra waited for Lily to tie her gown, she looked through the windows at the other side of the room at the little plastic bassinets, some empty, some occupied. Men and women were gathered around those, talking, smiling, cooing and touching the baby within. There was a little girl on tiptoe peering through the plastic of one bassinet, trying to get a glimpse inside. In the far corner of the room, she could see Loki. He was sitting in a rocking chair beside one of the bassinets, his head on a pillow resting on the arm of the chair.  
They opened the inner door and stepped inside the NICU. The couple at the nearest bassinet nodded, smiling at them. As she drew closer to Loki, her pace slowed, shock setting in at what she was seeing.  
The baby lay there in a white nappy, looking pale, within a forest of tubes and wires. One tiny arm was splinted with an IV tube running from it. Another tube ran down her nose, and a tube connected to a large plastic object ran down her throat, held there with strips of surgical tape. There were tiny patches on her chest attached to wires running out of the bassinet and up to a tv screen above her head. Eidra suddenly felt dizzy, her legs shaky. She gripped Lily's arm to steady herself.  
“My poor little baby.” She moaned.  
Another unit nurse had seen them enter the room and approached them, putting her hand at Eidra's back, startling her. Eidra turned to stare at the pretty, plump redhead.  
“My name is Lacey. I'm one of the day nurses here in the unit. Cait had a busy morning. We ran some tests, made her comfortable and...”  
“She can hardly be comfortable.” Eidra rasped, her throat tightening.  
“I know it doesn't look very comfortable to us,” Lacey rubbed her back, “But she really is. She was having a lot of trouble breathing on her own when we got her here so we intubated her to help her breath. The tube going down her nose is her feeding tube since she can't suck on her own yet. I see you brought breast milk with you. The maternity nurse said you were going to be breastfeeding.”  
Eidra handed her the bottle she'd been carrying and Lacey nodded, “Wonderful, I'll go get a syringe and I'll help you feed your baby, okay?” Before she could walk away, Eidra put her hand on the edge of the bassinet. “Might I touch her?”  
“Oh by all means, take care with the wires and tubes. Touching is the best thing you can do right now. Let her know you're here, rub her head, hold her little hand. It'll help her get stronger and comfort her. I'll be right back.”  
Eidra put her hand into the bassinet and gently stroked Cait's belly, reveling in the soft skin. At her touch, Cait let out a muffled squeak and Loki's head shot up from the pillow.  
“Eidra? Gods, I fell asleep. I am sorry.” He rose from the chair, slipping his arm about her waist.  
“You have been here all this time, do not apologize for being tired.” Her head dropped to his shoulder as Lily backed away to allow them privacy.  
“Oh Loki, had we not been here, we would have lost her.”  
He reached into the bassinet and put his hand atop her head, struck at how big his hand seemed in contrast, stroking the soft down with his thumb. Eidra turned to Lily and nodded at her, “If you had not told me this was possible, I would not have known to come to Midgard. We owe her life to you.”  
Lily looked down at her shoes, “I was hoping you wouldn't need to come here, if you get my meaning, but I'm glad you decided to.” When she looked up again, Loki was staring at her.  
“You told my wife what she needed to know thus saving my daughter's life, I will find a way to repay you.”  
Lily flushed at this, “Not at all. It was my pleasure.”  
Lacey had returned with the syringe. Eidra saw it was filled with the milk from the bottle. She watched the nurse attach it to the tube in Cait's nose and motioned for Eidra take the syringe.  
“Now press this plunger down very gently.” the nurse put Eidra's thumb atop the long containter, “She will only take an ounce or so in this feeding. Don't rush it.”  
Eidra's hands were trembling as she pressed the plunger down, watched the liquid flow through the tube. Lacey put a fingernail on the syringe, “There is the ounce mark, when the liquid gets to that point, stop and we'll save the rest for the next feeding. See, the milk is going right into her belly and when she gets strong enough, she'll be able to feed on her own.”  
Eidra looked at the card placed at the end of the bassinet, “What does that say?”  
Lacey looked at the card then to her, “It says Cait, weight three pounds, ten ounces, length, eighteen inches. She was a good size for a preemie. It shouldn't be long before you get to hold her and feed her.”  
Lacey detached the syringe from the tube, capping it. “You'll be able to do this on your own later. The pediatrician on call today is Doctor Bane, he's making rounds right now and he'll be up to discuss the test results with you soon, okay? Call me if you need anything. I'll let you enjoy your new baby.”  
Eidra put a finger to Cait's cheek and her tiny hand flew up to grip it. Eidra, sore, frightened and tired, finally broke down. Loki wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly, whispering to her, “Hush, my heart, she will be well.”  
He eased her into the rocking chair where she motioned to Lily, “Is there any way I can get a message to Brenna? I wish for her to know she has a little sister.”

He eased her into the rocking chair where she motioned to Lily, “Is there any way I can get a message to Brenna? I wish for her to know she has a little sister.”  
Lily smiled as she pulled her phone from the breast pocket of her blazer, “I don't think that should be a problem. I'll clear it with the Director.” She had just started to tap in the phone number when a tall gray haired gentleman dressed in scrubs, a stethoscope over his neck, approached them, his hand held out.  
Loki took his hand, shook it, eying him.  
“I'm Doctor Bane, resident pediatrician.”  
Loki nodded, “I am Loki, this is my wife Eidra.”  
Doctor Bane peered into the bassinet with a grin, “And company. I'm glad to see she has better color now.” He reached down into the bassinet, stroking the soft down atop her head, “I'm glad the two of you are here now.”  
Eidra glanced at Loki, “Why would we be anywhere else?”  
“Of course,” Doctor Bane crossed his arms, looked down at his shoes, “Well....when your daughter was born and we brought her here to the NICU, we ran some simple tests. We did some routine bloodwork, we also did an echocardiogram which checks the heart for any defects...,” he clasped his hands together, “....I'm sorry to have to tell you your daughter has a serious problem.....”  
Eidra gripped the arms of the rocking chair as Loki set his hand on her shoulder.  
“Whatever is wrong with her?” Eidra rasped.  
“She has a condition called hypoplastic left heart. The left ventricle of her heart is severely underdeveloped, leaving the right ventricle to do all the work of circulating the blood.”  
Eidra glanced over at the bassinet, “Is there nothing more to be done for her?”  
“Without surgery, she might last for a couple weeks but eventually the condition will restrict the blood flow, she will go into shock and die.”  
Loki's hand squeezed her shoulder as Eidra's hands flew to her mouth, “Oh do what you must! Please save her..”  
Doctor Bane reached down, taking her hand in his, “We will do our very best....I promise you...our very best.”


	26. 26

Brenna sat in one of the lawn chairs on the beach, watching students and staff alike swimming and playing in the lake a few yards away. The t-shirt and shorts she was wearing over the bikini she'd donned that morning made the hot day feel all the hotter. Further up the lawn behind her, loud music blared from a stereo. Kids were yelling and laughing, the smell of meat cooking on the grill permeated the air. She huddled deeper into the chair and sighed to herself.  
The night before the Labor Day picnic, she'd been in the cafeteria helping students and staff with food preparation. The conversation had turned to the activities that were planned for the day, volleyball, softball, dancing, swimming in the lake. Brenna had remarked to Sophie that where she came from, boys and girls alike often swam in the nude, however, adding that they did not often swim together. Sophie had taken her aside and told her to come to her room before bed that evening.  
Upon arrival, Sophie presented her with a bikini. At first, Brenna thought the small brassierie and panties were a lingerie set. When she had first been shown a brasserie by Grace, she had been perplexed. In Asgard, she explained to Grace, the bodice of a dress uplifted a woman's breasts. Grace tactfully pointed out that Brenna was wearing T-shirts and blouses nowadays and she was too amply endowed to go without. It was simply proper etiquette to wear a bra.  
When Sophie told her the bra and panties were swimwear, she had practically dropped to the floor. Here on Midgard, Sophie told her, boys and girls swam together at least partially clothed. When Brenna tried to hand it back to Sophie, she begged her to at least try it on. Brenna had relented. When she finally stood in front of Sophie's full length mirror, she had to admit she had filled out, a fact she had barely noticed back on Asgard. She told Sophie the bikini was almost worse than being nude. With the bikini on, she felt as if she were only partially dressed. In the end, though, she had thanked her for the use of the swimwear and taken it to her room.  
So there she sat, toes fiddling with the towel before her on the sand, watching as Chase, dressed in a pair of cutoffs, trotted up to her from the lake.   
“Bren, come on,” he pleaded with her, “Come swimming with me. I'm telling you, no one is going to give you a second glance, at least not because you're wearing a bikini....well, I mean they might because you're wearing a bikini but not for the reasons you think...come on...please? Don't be so shy.”  
She sunk further into the chair. “I feel mortified.”  
Chase dropped onto the towel in front of her. “Alright, okay, I'll sit here with you.”  
“I did not say you must,” she muttered. She felt guilty for being so reluctant and her guilt only made her sullen. She wanted to have fun with her friends, she wanted to swim and dance and try barbecued spare ribs.  
She glanced down at Chase who sat there, arms wrapped around his knees, squinting at the sun's glare and took a deep breath. When she stood up, Chase turned and jumped to his feet.  
“Stand in front of me so that I may take my....gods.....clothes off.”  
Chase grinned, picking up the towel, curving it around his shoulders so that she was mostly hidden from view.  
“Anything for you, sweetheart. Trust me, you'll have fun.”  
She folded her shorts and shirt, setting them on the chair then peeked over his shoulder at the people in the water.  
“You will not leave me? You will stay right by my side?”  
“Of course,” he nodded as he slowly let the towel back down to the sand, “I will hold your hand every step of the way.”  
She frowned, “I am not a child, honestly. Just stay close.”  
Nevertheless, she took his hand as he led her away from the chair, keeping her head down, sure that everyone was now staring at her. She could see the water's edge approach and she was ankle deep when she heard a yell.  
She looked up to see Brian splashing towards them and she flushed crimson.   
“Heeey! Well looka who done got they behind outta that chair. The girl in the Itsy Bitsy...”   
“Jesus Bri,” Chase muttered, “You maybe want to throw up a neon sign or something? Girl's trying to ease into this.”  
Brian stopped short, hunching over as the waves lapped at Brenna's feet. He put a finger to his lips, “Gonna put a Elmer Fudd spin on it for y'all. I'll be vewwy vewwy quiet.”  
Brenna giggled, they could always make her laugh. There had been times she regretted her decision to stay on Midgard when her homework got too hard or she failed to understand something that had been said, when she became homesick. Those were the times they would lift her spirits, make her happy she'd stuck it out.  
Brian dropped back into the water to float on his back. “Well c'mon. Y'all gonna stand there getting your ankles all wrinkly?”  
She inched further into the water, shivering as the water rose up her legs.  
“So” Brian swam about them, “Don't y'all swim in Asgard?”  
“Of course we do, though the boys have more opportunity to do so than the girls. We are usually the ones keeping house, doing chores, making meals.”  
“Well then what you scared of? This must be paradise for you.”  
She looked at the people carousing about.   
“It is this small bathing suit.” She was nearly waist deep now, “It is as if I were going swimming in my clothes.”  
“Brian stood and put his hands on his hips. “Well what you wear back home to go swimming, girl?”  
“Nothing.”  
Brian slapped his hands atop his head, “Oh man, straight up? That is sick...where do I sign up for that tour of duty?”  
“You know what?” Chase splashed him, “You are depraved.”  
Brian splashed him back, hitting Brenna with a surge of cold water, making her squeal. “Naw, don't go lying. You just playing mister nice guy. You be there in a heartbeat otherwise.”  
Pretty soon Brenna joined in, splashing them until she was thoroughly soaked. All at once, they heard the whistle of the lifeguard.  
“Enough horseplay.”  
Brenna ducked under the water and surfaced to float just at her shoulders. She felt much better in deeper water, not as self conscious as before. Sophie swam up to her followed by Dylan who nodded and smiled shyly.  
“Finally, I thought you would never get in the water.”  
“Chase convinced me to try it.” Brenna dove under and came back up again.  
“Yeah she'd be okay if we was all swimming in our birthday suits.” Brian laughed.  
Sophie glared at him and looked at Brenna, “Don't forget what I told you about men...”  
Brenna gave a nod, “They are pigs.”

Kurt felt a presence at his elbow and he gripped the wine cooler in his hand a bit tighter.  
“Hey blue boy, you said you didn't imbibe.” Logan took a gulp of his beer.  
“I said nothing of der sort. I said I didn't make it a habit. It does not mean I do not indulge once in a while, I simply do not get falling down drunk every weekend,” He poked Logan in the side with his tail, expecting retaliation but Logan grunted.  
“What I do in the privacy of my rooms is my business....besides things hurt less when you can't see straight.”  
They watched the students playing in the water for a bit, “I see your charge is fitting right in now. She a good student?”  
Kurt considered his answer, “She is smart, ja. She comprehends things but she still struggles with der culture, history is a challenge.”  
“How so?”  
Kurt turned his head to glance at him, his image, unshaven, rough reflected in Kurt's sunglasses.  
“When you have grown up with der history of a completely different land, you have a twofold problem. You cannot learn about der presidents because you have maybe grown up learning about Kings and Queens. You have no premise upon which to start, so you must start at der very beginning. ” he sighed, “Vat about you?”  
A smile played about Logan's lips, “She's a tough cookie. She learns the moves pretty quick. I wonder if it's genetic. Maybe her dad taught her a bit too. She managed to throw me pretty hard last week.”  
“Genetics, indeed it may be....” he paused, pursed his lips, then took a sip of the wine cooler.  
“Don't hold back on me, chum. Spill your guts.” Logan tapped Kurt's bottle to his own.  
Kurt pulled the wine cooler closer, “Have you searched der database for her father?”  
“Should I?” Logan drained his beer.  
“Lets just say I wouldn't want to be der one to have him to a conference where bad news was going to be passed along.”  
“Well we know who the hell he is...”  
“Ja, dis I know. I just dug a little deeper is all. It is better to be prepared is it not?”  
“Prepared for what?” Logan lifted the lid of the small cooler at his feet, dropped the empty inside and pulled out a full one as Kurt shook his head.   
“Temper tantrums....”  
“From him?” He dropped the cap into the open cooler and took a swig.  
“Perhaps, maybe from her...we haven't really taken a good look at her mutation yet. I will suggest dass to Ororo soon.”  
“What are you going to suggest to me?” came the voice behind him. Kurt whipped around, nearly losing his footing on the sloping ground.  
Ororo stood there in black shorts and a yellow v-neck shirt with an apron tied around her waist, a long three pronged fork in her hand. Kurt was glad of his sunglasses, he couldn't help staring at her, she was breathtaking.  
“I was saying we should maybe look at Brenna's mutation a little closer.”  
“Oh?” She cocked her head.   
“Yeah,” Logan chimed in, “Blue boy here was thinking she might take after her papa.”  
He nodded, “Haven't you thought der same thing?”  
She looked past them to where Chase was trying to teach Brenna to float on her back. “I've thought plenty of things, her parentage being one of them. Fine, make it so. Explain to her that we would like to look at her genetic makeup. Ask her if she'll let us draw her blood for analysis this week.”  
“Another lab rat huh?” Logan quipped and Ororo pointed at his beer with the fork.  
“Don't overdo it today Logan or I'm going to cut your rations.”  
He snickered at first, then mumbled, “Yeah, yeah.”  
From out of nowhere, the Darth Vader theme began to play and Ororo fumbled in her pocket while Kurt and Logan exchanged smiles.   
She tapped the screen of her cell phone.  
“Yes?” Her mouth dropped open, “Yes she is but we're down by the lake at our annual picnic.” She looked at Kurt and Logan, “Oh?......oh my.......um, okay give me ten minutes and call my office phone, we'll be there.....yes.....alright, bye.”  
Ororo stuffed the phone in her pocket and started at a trot for the lake as Kurt called to her, “Vat is wrong? Bad news?”  
“No,” She called over her shoulder, “Not really, I'll fill you in later.”  
They watched her run to the water's edge and call Brenna's name, saw Brenna come out of the water and Ororo say something as she pointed towards the mansion behind them. When Chase made to follow them, Ororo put her hand out and he stopped, a look of shock on his face. When they passed her chair, she grabbed the towel draped over it and put it around her shoulders, following Ororo at a quick trot. As they headed up the lawn, Logan took another swig of his beer, “Be prepared huh?”  
“Ja,” Kurt nodded, “For everything.”

 

Brenna sat shivering in the air conditioning of Ororo's office. A phone call? She was going to get a phone call? And Ororo had no idea from whom...she wondered if possibly something was wrong at home, if someone was sick. She was pondering the myriad reasons when the phone on Ororo's desk rang and they both jumped.   
“Hello?.” Ororo answered, “...this is Miss Munroe, who is this?”  
Brenna saw her eyes widen.   
“Yes she is..” Ororo waved for Brenna to take the phone and she retreated to the other side of the room as Brenna sat down behind the desk in Ororo's chair.  
“Hello?”  
“Brenna, is it you?”  
“Mama? MAMA!” Brenna cried, felt the tears spring to her eyes. “Where are you? How is it you are able to call me?”  
“Oh Bren, I am in the city called New York.”  
“You are in New York? Why? Is something wrong?” She sat up straighter in the chair.  
“I had the baby too early. She arrived yesterday.”  
“I have a sister? You were right, Mama. But why are you here then? Is the baby alright?”  
She could hear a hiccuping squeak in the background and her father's voice, muffled but distinct.  
“She needs to be changed.” And her mother's voice fainter as she turned her head away from the phone, “I shall be but a moment unless you wish to try again?”  
“Father is there too? Where are you?”  
“We are in a place called Bellevue, it is a hospital. When we came to New York to find you, I spoke with an agent who told me Midgardians could perform miracles when babies were born early so when I found my water had broken, I begged your father to bring me here,” She could hear her mother's voice start to break and she hugged the phone closer, willing her mother to feel it on the other end, “If we had not done so, we would have lost her like we did Silas.”  
“What did you name her?”  
“We named her Cait. We had originally chosen the name for you but fate had its own design. Do you like it?”  
“Well yes, of course. So she is well?”  
There was a long pause on the other end and her mother's voice wavered, “We spoke to the physician this morning. She is weak, her lungs are undeveloped and she has a problem with her heart. The physician called it...such a strange name.... Hypo..plastic..” She heard her father finish for her in the background, “Left heart. They think perhaps that was why she was born early, because she was sick.”  
“What does that mean? Will she be alright?”  
Her mother sniffed loudly and Brenna knew she was crying, “She must have an operation to fix her heart or she may.....join Silas....”  
“Mama, no. Are they going to perform this operation for her?” Brenna jumped up from the chair and ran to the window, scanning the crowd by the lake, searching for Chase.  
“They said they would do this operation on the morrow.”  
“I wish I could be there with you for it, I miss you Mama.”  
“We miss you too, my precious one.”  
Brenna heard her father in the background again.  
“How did I do?” And her mother's answer, “Very well, my love.”  
“I must go now, the nurse is here and I must feed Cait. I will ask them to let me call you again after Cait's operation.”  
“Promise you will. Promise you will call me, Mama.”  
“I will beg them if need be. Are you being a good girl?”  
“Yes Mama....Mama? I love you.”  
“I love you too, poppet.”  
When she hung up the phone, she looked to see Ororo walking towards the desk.  
“Your mama had her baby? Here in New York?”  
“Yes...” She put her hands over her mouth as she dropped into Ororo's chair. “It seems like a dream.”  
“Do you want to go to your room and lie down? You look pale.” Ororo put her hand on Brenna's shoulder.  
“I think I'll return to the picnic....I want to talk to Chase.”   
Brenna stood up, heading for the door but Ororo stopped her. “Be careful what you tell him, or anyone else. Do you understand?”  
Brenna nodded, “I only wish to talk to Chase, to tell him that I have a new sister.”  
Ororo took her shoulders in her hands, searched her face.  
“Alright,” She released her then, “Congratulations on the new addition to the family.”  
Ororo watched Brenna rush from the office then looked to her phone, wondering if she should call Fury back and get more details about what had happened but her pager went off. It was Cain, “Probably getting backed up at the grill,” She sighed, dropping the phone in the pocket of her jeans and heading out the office door.

Brenna's mind was working all the way down to the lake and by the time she had reached Chase who met her halfway up the beach, she could barely contain herself.  
“What happened, who called?” Chase whispered.  
“My mother, she is here in New York.”  
“Here? In the city or the state?”  
Brenna shaded her eyes, searching for Sophie and Brian in the water. “The city, she said she was in a place called Bellevue. She had my sister there.”  
Chase smiled and hugged her, “That's great, what'd they name her?”  
Brenna saw Brian look up and she waved to him, “Cait. It was to be my name but they had to change it. The story is long, I shall tell you someday.”   
Brian was trotting up the beach towards them as Chase took note of Brenna's worried expression.  
“Is everything okay?”   
“No, the baby is very ill. They are going to perform an operation on her heart on the morrow.”  
Brian slowed to a halt beside them as Chase put his hand behind his neck, rubbing it.  
“What's up, y'all? Everything straight?”  
“It will be. I need your help later tonight, yours and Chase's.”  
“Tonight? What for. What's going down, dude?” Brian glanced at Chase who looked thoroughly confused.  
“We cannot talk here,” Brenna's eyes shifted over to where Kurt and Logan stood, still talking. “Follow me.” She started back up the slope to the mansion and they fell in step beside her.  
“Brenna, what are you up to?” Chase took her by the arm.  
“My little sister is sick and I intend to help her.”  
“Brenna....”  
Brian leaned over, catching her eye, “Little sister? Yo mama had dat baby? Isn't it early?”  
“Yes she had it here, in New York.” They had reached the tennis courts.  
“In the city? Dayum, your parents relocate or something? What you need me for?”  
“We have to go to this place called Bellevue tonight, on the morrow it will be too late.”   
Chase and Brian skidded to a halt as Brenna turned to face them, “I am going to heal my sister.”


	27. 27

Chase stood with Brenna in the car garage waiting for Brian. He glanced at his phone. It was almost eleven p.m. Every little noise they heard made them jump.   
“This is crazy Bren. Did you ever think to ask if you could visit them?”  
“By the time I received permission, providing I it was given in the first place, it would be too late. They would have already performed the operation. I cannot go to Miss Munroe right now and say, “Pardon me but do you think I could possibly get you to bring me to Bellevue hospital? When? Why right now of course.” This is the only option.”  
Chase tilted his head, “Point taken but if you don't mind my asking, how do you know you can do this? You said you've healed small things like cuts and tree branches. How do you know you could heal a human heart?”  
Brenna frowned, “I do not know, but I must try. Would you not do the same?”  
At the sound of a door opening, they ducked down behind Brian's car until they saw it was him.  
“We all gonna get in trouble for this.” Brian looked behind him, “I mean we go to the corner store for soda and chips with you and we gots ta get permission. You talking bout all the way into Manhattan.”  
Chase saw the look of sudden indecision on Brenna's face, the worry, the panic.  
“Then let me borrow your car. I'll bring her. You can say I snuck into your room and stole your keys if you want.”  
“Uh uh,” Brian shook his head, hit the garage door switch. Brenna winced at the loud rumble of the garage door rising into the ceiling as Brian unlocked the car, “Ain't nobody gonna believe that and besides, I don't trust you driving Baby Girl on the streets of New York. Get in and let's get this shit over with.”

Brenna leaned forward from the backseat between the two of them. Brian kept his eyes on the traffic on Interstate 684. Though not as heavy so late at night, there were enough people out on the road to be a nuisance.  
“I've extended my reach to at least two hundred yards but it's a stretch. It takes a lot of energy out of me. I try to push myself further each time. Here's the question though, are we going to just walk into the hospital like we own it and start busting up the place? What is the plan? I can only hold time just so long.” Chase turned to her, “How much time will you need?”  
“I do not know,” She drew her fingers through her hair, “Healing drains me as well.”  
She had discovered her limitations when she'd first met Sophie and started fixing things for students. One day she counted thirty students in the span of eight hours and by the evening meal, she was so exhausted she could barely move from her bed. Sophie and Chase had brought her supper up to her. Sophie apologizing profusely for bringing her to the attention of so many students. When she had healed a cut on Fen's arm once long ago, it had taken her a day to feel herself again. The complexity of the damage seemed to dictate the effort she had to expend in turn though she would push herself if she needed to.  
“Well I can maybe hold it for ten minutes tops and that's pushing the envelope,” Chase looked out at the distant lights of the city.   
“I can manage the locks, y'all, if they's a need but what if they don't let us past the front desk?”  
Chase looked at Brian, “I'll handle that too. If we keep walking, it'll seem like a blink to whoever's there.”  
“Aight, as long as you think you can pull it off. It's your call.”

 

They sat in the parking garage looking at the layout of the hospital on Chase's phone.  
“The neonatal intensive care unit is located in H-building nine north..,” he glanced at Brenna, “You know they let family members in twenty four hours a day. We wouldn't have to sneak in if you said you were related to the patient.”  
Brenna shook her head, “You said so yourself. I have nothing with which to identify myself except the student badge I was issued, and if they did identify me and let me in, there would be a record of my visit. If Miss Munroe finds out I was off school grounds without permission, she may send me back home to Asgard, or at the very least notify my parents that I disobeyed the rules.”  
Brian sat in the driver's seat, head against the headrest, tongue hanging out of his mouth as he listened to the conversation,“And the later we wait, the worse it gonna be if someone finds the car missing and us gone,” he opened his door, “Enough with the talking, let's do this if we gonna.”

Chase had told them to stay close to him and keep walking. As they approached the security desk, he waved his hand before him. The officer behind the desk who had started to stand up when he saw them was now frozen in mid challenge, mouth pursed, hand extended.  
“Straight ahead, through that archway,” Chase pointed to a tall carved stone arch that led down a long hallway. Brenna glanced behind her in time to see the security officer stumble forward, regain his balance, then stand there scratching his bald head.  
“Hey, there's elevators over here to the right. Let's see...” Brian pointed to a list on the wall between the doors, “Aha, there, neonatal intensive care unit, ninth floor north.”  
They slid past a nurse and a couple of women getting out of the elevator. Brenna looked away avoiding their stares as the door slid closed behind them.  
“They looking at us because we kids that's all,” Brian reassured her, “Kids always in trouble.”  
Chase was trembling. Brenna could feel it as she took his hand in hers.  
“I am so sorry I asked you to do this,” she whispered, “You should have told me no.”  
“It was important to you, I couldn't let you down. Besides, if you can do it, this'll be a lot better for the baby. I just hope I can hold everything long enough for you to work your magic.”  
“It is not magic, it is...”  
“A figure of speech, Bren...now just let me do what I have to okay?”  
The doors opened into a reception area with a large desk towards the back. There was a nurse sitting behind it, facing a computer to her right. When she heard the elevator doors, she turned and stared at them. “Visiting hours are over for the day. Only immediate family allowed until tomorrow morning.”  
As Chase brought his hand up, Brian tried the door to the right but it wouldn't budge.   
“I think they gotta buzz you in from inside or something.”   
Chase vaulted over the front of the reception desk past the nurse who sat stock still, an expression of disinterest on her face, and exited through a doorway at the back of the small room. Moments later, the door swung open, “Come on,”  
To their left was a room with shelves of gowns and booties, “Should we get gowned up, I don't wanna make nobody sick.”  
Chase had started to break out in a sweat. He shook his head as he looked down the long corridor and waved his hand again, “No time. Damn! I hope I'm gauging this right.”  
To their right a little ways down the hall was a large glass walled room. They peered inside at the people, “I do not see my mother or father.”  
“Maybe they done gone home,” Brian joined her at the window.  
“My mother would not leave the baby here alone...,”  
Chase waved them on, “Then maybe she's in a room, hurry, you check one side of the hall we'll check the other.”  
They were already halfway down the hallway when Brenna began to panic. Maybe it was too late, maybe she had taken a turn for the worse and they had needed to perform the operation. “Chase,” she called, “What if someone comes up to this floor? Will they be affected as well?”  
“Yeah but the more people I affect the more it draws on my energy. Hey, I found them!”  
Brenna raced down the hall to where Chase and Brian stood outside a room on the left side of the hall. The single bar of lights over the sink near the door illuminated the still form of her father stretched out on a cot, sound asleep. Her mother sat in a rocking chair, likewise beside him, head against the backrest, her knitting in her lap. Brenna looked to the right of the door. In a chair, immobile, a book in his hand, sat a young man in a suit.  
“Stay right beside me” Chase held his hand out toward them, “I'll tighten the circle.”  
As a unit they moved into the room slowly until they were beside the bassinet.Brenna gazed down at her new sister with a mixture of wonder and fear. She seemed to be tied down by a mass of tubes and wires and tape. She was ghostly pale and languid, her breathing shallow but even, the machine doing the work for her.   
Brenna put her hands palm together to her lips, suddenly frightened. What if she couldn't help her, what if she could only do half the job, leaving her worse off than before. What if, gods forbid, she killed her instead of healing her?  
“Chase, I am afraid.”  
Chase rubbed her back, “I got faith in you, hon, but I don't have as much in myself, you gotta hurry up and try if you're gonna or we're going to have to abort the mission,” he elbowed Brian who was staring open mouthed at Loki.   
“Oh..... uh you can do it girl.”  
Brenna took a deep breath, opened her right hand, palm down, placing it against Cait's chest. Immediately she could feel the abnormality in her tiny heart, see it in her mind, the strange confluence of cells, the damaged ventricle, hear the rush of air through her underdeveloped lungs and she closed her eyes.   
Chase and Brian watched awestruck as Brenna began to glow. A warm yellow light infused her body, illuminating her skin like the glow of a lantern from within. Her hair shifted, swirling about, lifted as if she were caught in a maelstrom, clothes fluttering, flapping about,the energy transformed making its way down her arms to the baby, bathing her in the same light.  
Brenna could see the heart changing on a molecular level, cells altering, changing, redividing, moving into their correct place, blood vessels sliding in to make new connections, blood coursing through them. She could see the lungs respond to the fresh flow of blood, her color changing from pale gray to peach to pink. Finally just as Chase was about to warn her he was nearly spent, she broke the connection, dropping to her knees beside the bassinet.   
“Brenna! Brian, help her up, we gotta go.”  
Brian bent down lifting her to her feet, “Jesus, girl, you done shot your whole wad there.”  
They rushed to the doorway, peering down the hallway which was still empty. They hurried into the corridor, trotting toward the elevators, supporting Brenna between them. Chase punched the button for the elevator doors, hopping from one foot to the other.  
“Damnit, hurry up,” he muttered.  
With a ding, the doors parted. As they entered the elevator, Chase looked over his shoulder. At the nurses station, one of the nurses had started to stir. The doors closed behind them as Brian stood Brenna up to lean against the elevator wall.  
“Holy shit, Bren. Are you okay?” Chase murmured.  
She nodded, shrugged them off, “I am fine. I have never healed something so complex as a heart. It was amazing and terrifying at the same time,” she took a deep breath.  
“So you think you did it?”  
Brenna nodded, smiled nodded again, “I believe so.”  
The elevator doors slid open and they headed back down the corridor to the archway where the security officer stood facing the hospital entrance, speaking on a cell phone.   
“Stay close,” Chase waved his hand as they sped past the officer out through the front doors into the early morning darkness.  
As they reached the car in the parking garage, Brian let out a whoop.   
“We did it! We done pulled it off! We outta the park!”  
“Man will you shut up and unlock the car,” Chase gave him a shove, “We're not home yet, don't jinx it.”

 

The soft tonal beeping woke Eidra from her light doze. She rose, dropping her knitting into her chair as she rushed to the bassinet then out into the hall where a nurse was heading for her doorway.  
“Is something wrong with the baby?” Eidra cried.  
The nurse walked to the bassinet, looked at the monitor and strode to the phone on the wall. “Let me get hold of the pediatrician who's on call tonight, she seems to be trying to breath on her own.” Loki, who had stumbled from the cot when he heard the nurse's voice, was now at the side of the bassinet with Eidra.  
“What has happened?” Loki set his hand at Cait's brow, soothing her with slow strokes.  
“I do not know.” Eidra curled into his side, “I do not know.”

 

It was nearly four in the morning when they pulled into the garage at the mansion. They hurried around the outside of the mansion to the service entrance, stepping into the dark staff kitchen. “I'll talk to you in the morning.” Chase gave Brenna a quick peck on the cheek before running off past the row of refrigerators into the dim hallway, “Try to get some sleep.” With a pat on her back, Brian followed behind him. Brenna was at the archway into the kitchen when she heard the dull clink of glass on wood. She froze, turning around to peer into the darkness until she found a silhouette outlined against the set of bay windows looking out onto the mansion's front lawn.  
From the gloom came a voice, “You know you're in trouble dontcha?”  
“Yes, sir.” Brenna crossed her arms before her, irate.  
Logan chuckled, “You didn't try to lie your way out of it, I'll give ya that.”  
She stared at her shoes and shook her head, heard him swallow as he took a drink of whatever he had in the bottle before him.   
“I ain't gonna say nothing to nobody right now but you and I are gonna have a talk tomorrow.”  
When she still didn't answer, he stood up. “It wouldn't be half so bad if we wasn't under Fury's thumb with you.”  
She was tempted to ask what he meant but he continued, “And I don't want you screwing up on my watch. I'd never hear the end of it, and neither would you.”  
He walked up to her until she could make out his features in the hallway lights, “Now get to bed.”  
“Yes sir.” She turned and was off on a run down the hallway.  
He shook his head, tossing the empty beer bottle into the recyclables bin by the refrigerator. “Blue Boy was right. Gotta nail these kids down, nowadays.”


	28. 28

Brenna was lying in bed staring at the ceiling when she heard the knock on her door. She looked over at her clock. It was eight-thirty. She sighed, sat up.  
“Come in”  
She expected Logan to be standing in the doorway when the door swung open, however, before her stood Miss Munroe.  
“Why aren't you up and dressed? Don't you have a class with Professor Wagner at nine?”  
“Yes, Ma'am. I was about to get up.”  
Brenna stood and stretched, walking over to the wardrobe to pick out an outfit to wear.   
“Well your class is canceled in any case. You've been invited to the hospital to see your new sister today.”  
Brenna froze, her hand hovering over her purple jersey dress as she glanced over her shoulder at Miss Munroe. “I have?”  
“Yes,” Miss Munroe frowned, “You're surprised?”  
“A bit, yes. I did not think they wanted to...see me.”  
“Brenna, why would you think such a thing? Why wouldn't they want to see their own daughter?”  
She chewed her lip. Could it be they hadn't figured out what had happened last night? Had Logan told no one he'd caught her coming in so late? She took the dress down from the rack and held it in front of her like a shield. “I just thought they would be too busy with a new baby. Are you going to bring me?”  
“No, a car will be here shortly for you.”   
Seeing Brenna's hesitation, Miss Munroe smiled, “Come on, it's been a while since you've seen your parents aren't you even a little excited?”  
Brenna gave a nod, pushing a smile to the surface in return. “Do I have to go alone?”  
“Yeah. I'm sorry, no extras today. Get going, I'll see you in the foyer in a few minutes.”

Brenna dressed slowly, all manner of scenarios running through her head. They must have figured it out that she'd been there. She was certain of that. Her father was far from stupid and now that he knew she could heal with a touch, he would have to deduce what she'd done.  
When she reached the landing of the staircase leading to the foyer, she looked down to see Miss Munroe and Logan talking to a man wearing sunglasses and dressed in a dark suit. She started down the stairs. Only when she reached the group did she remember him as one of the men who had been here with her father when he had found her at the school.  
Miss Munroe turned to her, “Brenna, this is Mister Stark. He's going to escort you to the hospital and back today.”  
“Thank you,” she murmured. She wanted to sink into a hole and disappear in all actuality, especially when she met Logan's eyes.  
“Well let's get moving, your parents really want to see you,” Tony waved his hand at the front door with a flourish, “Your chariot awaits.”

The interior of the limousine was vast and for a while she just sat staring about at the TV, the little bar, watching out the windows as Mister Stark talked unceasingly on a cell phone. She caught snippets of conversation though they made no sense to her. “...well make the same offer to them again....well word it differently...I want to make this merger happen.......that's as high as I'll go.”  
They were nearly into the city when he closed his phone.   
“Sorry, big business. You're not old enough to drink are you? No. How about a soda? Juice, water? I got it all.”  
He reached over to the small bar, opening a door beneath it. She saw a bottle of orange juice and realized she hadn't had time for her morning meal before she'd left. “Might I have some orange juice, please?”  
He pulled it out from beneath the bar and handed it to her. “Certainly. Where did you learn your manners from?”  
She shrugged, “From my parents, I suppose, and my guardian Helgi.”  
“Helgi, who's he?”  
“Helgi is a she. She used to work in the staff kitchens at the palace. She took care of me after I was born. When I was six, we went to live with my mother and father in Rialo.”  
Mister Stark sat back in his seat. “You mean you didn't live with your parents for the first six years of your life?”  
“I did not know them.”  
Stark peered at her over the rims of his sunglasses, “You didn't know your own parents?”  
“No I did not. All I had were Helgi and Ren. She lives in Rialo. I did not know if my parents were dead or alive. I thought Helgi was my mother for the longest time. When Helgi and I came to live with them, I was not told who they were until I was all of ten seasons. When I would ask why they had left me with Helgi, they would tell me they would explain everything when I was old enough to ken. Eventually, I stopped asking.”  
Stark rubbed his chin with his fingers, “Sounds like a rotten trick to play on a kid. Were you surprised? Angry? I would have been angry.”  
Brenna thought about it, “I was angry at first but I loved mama..” Here she reddened, sat up straighter, “.....my mother from the first time I met her. I was afraid of father. When they came to stay in Rialo, two boys I used to play with, Silvan and Moran, began to tell me the most horrible stories about him. I shant relate them because they most decidedly are not true but at the time they terrified me and I was afraid for the longest time even to speak in his presence.”  
Stark stretched out his legs and slung his arms over the back of the seat.   
“He must have been a tyrant huh?”  
Brenna was unsure if being on her own these past couple months had softened her, if she felt the need to defend her family in the face of this unfamiliar Midgardian, or worse, that she was thinking as a grown up.  
“Far from it. I admit I had chores to do each day. I would often be charged with watching my little brother while my parents worked the farm....”  
“Farmer, still can't believe it...” Tony mumbled.  
“I often felt it was unfair, that it was the only purpose I served sometimes.”  
“And they kept you chained up and fed you bread and water otherwise?”  
She knew he was teasing her though she thought he might be half serious at first.   
“They most certainly did not. They took care of my every need. I never wanted for anything.”  
Stark cocked his head to one side, “Then why did you run away? I mean there had to be a reason.”   
The more he prodded, the more she felt he was baiting her, and the more irritated she became. After all, he was just another adult, and didn't they all stick together?  
She crossed her arms, “I wished to stay in the palace in the city of Asgard and learn deportment and culture, they ways of palace life. I am a princess of the blood royal. But father forbade it. He wanted to keep me out in the country in that coarse, unrefined village. He said he needed me at home to help with the new baby,” As she was speaking, Mister Stark had prepared himself a drink at the bar and was now sitting back, rolling the glass between his palms.  
“You think yourself ill used, do you? Put upon?”  
She didn't answer him, only stared at the drink in his hands, deliberately trying to avoid looking at her reflection in his dark lenses, “I think it's better to feel needed. Would you rather be considered part of the furniture? Ignored?”  
“No..” she sunk further into the seat.  
“What if your father had let you do what you wanted? You would have thought in turn that he didn't care. There wouldn't be any pleasing you,” Stark sat forward, “You kids have a lot to learn. Your parents aren't immune to making mistakes, nobody is. Sometimes they do or say the wrong things. It's called being human. You might want to cut them some slack.”   
She opened her mouth to ask him what that meant but he cut her off, “And you can figure out what that means on your own.”  
She frowned, returned her attention to the scenery outside the window, knowing that any rebuff would seem like an afterthought. They rode in silence until the limousine pulled up to the entrance and they got out. She followed Mister Stark, retracing the same path she'd taken last night. Through the front doors they went, past the security guard who nodded to Tony, scratching his head and giving her a curious look as they headed down the central corridor to the elevators. Every few steps people would greet Tony by name.  
“Morning Mister Stark,”   
“Have a good day, Mister Stark.”  
Once on the elevator she stood staring at him until he turned to her, “Questions?”  
“I simply observed that you know many people here. Do you frequent this place?”  
“Thankfully no. I do get around though. It's called networking....and there's the little matter of a philanthropic donation...being on the board of directors here...but other than that...hey who doesn't know me?”  
When the doors slid open, revealing a large reception area backed by a long nurses station, her heart began to race. As Mister Stark spoke with the receptionist at the desk, she stared at the wooden door leading into the unit interior as it swung open to admit them. They walked down the long corridor past room after room, Mister Stark chatting with the nurse who was accompanying them. Finally they reached their destination and though she wanted desperately to be able to stop time like Chase could, she found her feet carrying her into the room behind Stark and the nurse.  
Her mother was standing by the bassinet, talking to another nurse. When she heard them enter the room, she turned around.  
“Brenna!” she cried, rushing over to catch her in a tight, trembling embrace, “My baby, my little girl! Oh how I have missed you.” Eidra backed away, holding her at arms length to get a better look at her, “My goodness, what are you wearing?”  
Brenna giggled, “A dress, Mama. It is quite comfortable. Do you not like it?”  
“I am not sure yet, it is a bit short.”  
“Mama I missed you too,” Brenna laughed, drew her mother into another hug as she looked about the room, “Where is father?”  
“He went to fetch something for the morning meal with Lily. He will be back soon.”  
Brenna cocked her head, “Who is Lily?”  
Eidra wrapped her robe tighter around her as she nodded to Stark, “She is a S.H.I.E.L.D agent assigned to us. She was the one who garnered permission for you to come here to see the baby. Come, say hello to your new sister.”  
Eidra brought Brenna to the bassinet, “Early this morning, I was awakened by the machine that was helping Cait breathe. The night nurse came running in and said she had started to breathe on her own. The physician was called and he determined she was so improved they disconnected the machine. As they examined her further, they found her heart had healed itself as well.”  
Eidra glanced over at Brenna though the look went unnoticed as Brenna gazed down at the baby.  
“So she will have no need of an operation?”  
Eidra shook her head, reached into the bassinet and gently lifted Cait into her arms. “She may soon be well enough to go home. The physician has called her recovery a miracle. Your father is of a different mind..”  
“When she can leave the hospital depends upon a few things,” The nurse interjected; she had approached the bassinet, “On whether or not she's able to feed on her own either by bottle or breast. We also like to see regular weight gain which means the baby is thriving. We've still been feeding her through the tube in her nose.”  
Brenna touched the small tube taped to her upper lip, “How does she eat through her nose?”  
The nurse laughed, “The tube goes down her throat into her stomach. Quick and easy, no reflux.” As if in reply, Cait let out a squeak.  
“She sounds just like Fen did when he was born.”  
Eidra smiled, “I know.”  
“Oh Mama, she is so precious, so tiny,” Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes as she offered her finger to Cait's small hand and she gripped it, tugging it reflexively towards her mouth.  
Mister Stark was chatting quietly with the nurse who had escorted them to the room. All at once, Brenna wished they would leave the room so she could be alone with her family.   
“Sit down and you may hold her,” Eidra tilted her head towards the rocking chair beside the bassinet.  
“Mama, she's so little. I am afraid..” Brenna sat down slowly, unsure.  
“Countless times you carried Fen for me when he was a baby and you were a young girl then. Noow you are a woman. You will do fine.”  
Eidra bent down, placing Cait in the crook of Brenna's arm. Brenna pressed her lips to the fine down atop Cait's head, smiling as Cait seemed to squirm away from the attention.   
“Just like Fen,” Eidra brushed her fingers along Cait's cheek, “I used to give him big wet kisses just to torture him.”  
Eidra pushed a stray strand of hair away from Brenna's face and she closed her eyes, leaning into her mother's loving touch.  
When Cait squeaked again, the nurse looked at her watch, “I think she's getting hungry. I'll get the syringe, there's still some milk left in the bottle we were using earlier.”  
Brenna looked the baby over, “Her hair is light like mine. I wonder will it stay so fair?.”  
“We shall see. Fen started out quite the same and now his hair is black.”  
The nurse who had gone to fetch the syringe, returned, handing both the syringe and the bottle to Eidra. “Thank you Lacey.”  
“I think you can do this one on your own can't you?”   
Eidra nodded, unscrewing the cap to the bottle and sticking the syringe in to suck up the last of the milk. “I shall have to express again afterwards.”  
Brenna became aware of voices coming down the hallway towards the room, growing louder as they neared. She recognized her father's distinct timbre as he walked into the room carrying two paper bags. He was followed by a blond woman to whom he had been talking. She was dressed in a gray suit, the jacket unbuttoned to a light blue shirt.   
Brenna kept her gaze trained on the baby, watching him in her peripheral vision as he paused just inside the doorway, eying Mister Stark.   
“Hey, there's the man of the millenium,” Stark called out, waving him over, “We've been waiting for you.”   
Her father turned away from him with an undisguised sneer, “We were on a quest to find something palatable for the morning meal which in my opinion, is yet another weakness in this realm. You poison your people with food so far removed from the farm it is scarcely recognizable as such.”  
Tony shook his head as if to warn him off and he rolled his eyes as he sat the paper bags on a round table on the other side of the room. It was then that he caught sight of Brenna, stood stock still for a fraction of a second then pulled out a chair at the table and sat down, looking slightly uncomfortable as he unbuttoned his shirt at the neck and began to roll up his sleeves.  
“Oh by the way, the suit looks great on you...” Stark added, nodding to Lily, “Both of you, sorry didn't want to exclude you, agent.”  
“Confounded Midgardian attire. Must it be so irritating?” He grumbled, opening one of the bags.  
“I'll speak to my tailor about it,” Stark tapped the band on his wrist, “Got that Jarvis.”  
“Yes sir, I will notify Mister Andrews you wish to speak with him.” Jarvis's voice filled the room and the nurses looked about the room.   
“What the heck was that?” Lacey exclaimed.  
“Personal assistant,” Stark held up his hand, “Nothing to be alarmed about.”  
Loki looked to Eidra who had been following the exchange.   
“Come, my heart, sit and eat,” he gazed into the bags, “If you dare.”  
Eidra glanced back at Loki, “I must feed the baby first then I shall eat.”   
She lifted Cait from Brenna's arms and lay her in the bassinet to attach the syringe to the tube dangling at her cheek, turning then and giving Loki another pointed glance. He held her gaze for a moment and sighed.  
“Hello Brenna.”  
Ever since he had walked into the room, she had been replaying in her mind the last conversation they'd had that day at the school. Her throat felt tight, dry as she answered him, “Hello, Father.”  
She now wished even harder for Mister Stark to vacate the room, to the point where she had to force herself not to ask him to excuse them when providence smiled on her.   
Mister Stark pulled his cell phone from his pocket, “Hello?....Jamison...yeah I got a minute.”  
He put his hand over the mouthpiece, “Excuse me, important call. I'll be right back.”  
Stark retreated into the hallway and Brenna felt as if she was able to breath a little freer, at least until her father started to talk as he unwrapped a sandwich he'd taken from the bag.  
“They are calling what happened to Cait a miracle.”  
“So it sounds,” Brenna took a strand of her hair and started to twist it, her nerves fraying slightly at the tone in his voice.   
“Did you have your morning meal today?”  
“No, Father.”   
She need not ask why he was drawing the conversation out, he always did, feeding her small questions at first until he tired of toying with her and exploded in a tirade. She frowned, watched her mother who was cooing at Cait, pressing the syringe ever so slowly. Brenna sent a silent prayer to catch her mother's eye, knowing her mother was deliberately staying out of the conversation.  
“I have extra food, come sit and eat.”  
“I am not hungry, thank you.” She tugged at the strand of hair, smoothing it out.  
“It was not an offer, It was a request. Come and sit at the table.”  
He wanted her to sit and face him, she knew it. He had made her do so countless times. It was his way of intimidating her and she hated it, mostly because it inevitably worked.  
She rose from the rocking chair, a laugh nearly escaping her as she wished now for Mister Stark to return to the room, hoping his presence would temper her father's lecture but providence now saw fit to sit back and watch the drama unfold, she'd done all she was going to do for Brenna today.  
Brenna sat down at the table in a chair opposite him. Lily had taken her bag and retreated out into the corridor by then.  
“I would not wish to subject you to this fare, I do hope they feed you better at the school.”  
“Yes sir, they do.”  
Eidra was now holding the baby at her shoulder, rubbing her back as she sat in the rocking chair, listening to them.  
“Stark says you are doing well. That the system by which they judge their academics shows you to be a bright student.”  
She allowed the ghost of a smile to form, “I try very hard, Father.”  
She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye, she kept watching her mother as she hummed softly to Cait.  
“And are you behaving?” He took a bite of the sandwich, set it down with a slightly put off look.  
“I am.”  
“Very good...are you sure you will not eat?”  
“Yes, Father.”  
He was quiet for a few minutes as he ate. By the time he'd finished half his sandwich, Eidra had lain Cait back in the bassinet to sleep and Brenna was nearly ready to run down the hall screaming in frustration.  
Finally, he took a drink from the water bottle before him, “As I was saying, the physician claims Cait's recovery was a miracle. One moment they were ready to operate on her in a desperate bid to save her life, the next it was as if the defect had never been there to begin with.”  
“Perhaps she comes from strong stock.” Brenna muttered. It was a weak response which her father quickly latched on to.  
“How kind of you to say so, Bren,” He stood up and walked to the bassinet, reached in to stroke Cait's head. She gave a hitching sigh in her sleep.   
“The physicians wished to perform tests on her to see exactly what had happened to her but I refused, albeit politely,” he smiled at Eidra who had returned to the rocking chair.  
“They were quite curious, in fact, to know if this miracle coincided with a disturbance here at the hospital last evening. It seems the security guard at the entrance and the night nurse at the desk reported seeing a group of teenagers enter the hospital only to disappear before their very eyes.”  
Brenna bit her lip, suddenly terrified that she was going to start laughing. She tried hard to think of the least humorous things she could, pitching hay to the horses, hanging clothes out to dry, harvesting in the hottest part of the day but she felt herself closer to losing control than before.   
She stole a look at him then. He seemed tired. There were dark circles under his eyes, accentuated by the pallor of his skin and all at once she felt sorry for him.   
“Tell me Brenna, what do you think was my first reaction to such news?”  
She clasped her hands together, “I confess I do not know.”  
“You confess,” he turned to her, “You confess? Perhaps that is an astute choice of words.”  
She winced at his sudden scrutiny of her.  
“What do you mean?” she forced herself to gaze up at him as he stood before her, hoping she seemed sufficiently curious.  
He scanned the room, “Tell me, have you yet heard of a curious invention they call a video camera?”  
Chase, Brian and Sophie all had them on their cell phones. She had been given a camera to use one day with a video option on it. She knew full well what they were. She considered playing ignorant for all of a breath, then stuck out her chin defiantly, “Yes Father,”  
“And do you know how..”  
“I said, yes Father,” she interrupted him, supremely tired of being baited, “It was I, with two friends from school. But I did nothing wrong, Father. I only wanted to help, I swear it!” she now turned to Eidra, “Mama, I did not want them to operate on my sister when I knew there was no need, when I knew that I could help.”  
“But you disobeyed the rules of the school,” Eidra moved to the edge of the rocking chair, “You were not to go anywhere unchaperoned.”  
“I was with two other students..”  
“Students, not adults,” Loki growled, “You could have asked to be brought here.”  
“By then it would have been too late! They would have already performed the operation.”  
“Then so be it!” He was now starting to yell, “I would rather have you safe at the school than taking a late night trip into a city known for its violence and cruelty!”  
“Mama,” Brenna jumped from her chair, hurrying to Eidra, grabbing her hands from her lap. “What did I do wrong? All I wished for was to help.”  
“Poppet, I know but think of the risk you undertook. Two moons does not make you immune to the dangers of this realm. You grow too sure of yourself,” She swallowed hard, “Oh Brenna, please come home with us, please?”  
Brenna backed away from her, “No, Mama. I cannot. I have made friends here. I am doing well. Learning so much.”  
“Yes, you are learning how to lie, how to break the rules!” Loki cried, “What a fine student you are in that respect.”  
She thought of the book she'd read, the one she wished she had been able to throw into the library fireplace, “I have learned such skills from you, then.”  
“Brenna!” Eidra cried, “Apologize to your father at once!”  
“I will not have her offer up empty words,” he stood there gazing down at his boots, “There is little merit to a forced apology.”  
“No, Loki.” Eidra grimaced, pushed herself up from the chair and strode to Brenna, “Your father has not lied to you, he has shielded you from painful truths. He has broken rules only to defend his family and atone past wrongs.”  
Brenna couldn't have spoken if she'd tried. Her throat burned, her bottom lip was hopelessly a-quiver. They were mad at her, they were actually angry that she had come to help Cait. She was stunned, hurt.  
“If you would only ken, if you only knew...” Eidra murmured, taking Loki's hand in hers.  
“All I know is that you are angry with me for helping my sister..”  
“I never said I was angry. I said you put yourself in too much danger doing so.” When Eidra reached out and stroked her cheek, it was all she could take and she burst into tears,“Mama, all I wanted to do was help.”  
She heard someone clear their throat behind her and she wanted to stamp her feet. It was Stark.  
“Uh, I hate to break up the family reunion but I'm on a tight schedule today and I have to return your daughter to school before my one o' clock this afternoon.”  
Brenna heard her father growl, low. “She will be along presently.”  
Stark bowed slightly, clapped his hands together, “Alright, I can give you just a couple more minutes..” At Loki's glare, he threw up his hands, “Hey the world keeps spinning, I'm not the one who can stop time...”  
He turned heel walking back out into the corridor where she heard him talking loudly to the blond agent and the nurse.  
Before she could speak again, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she tensed.  
“You are still young, though you may think as an adult. I will set you down one day and tell you my story when I believe you are old enough.”   
Loki took in Cait's sleeping form, “For Cait, I thank you. I only wish you had trusted me enough to let me know your secret long before this,” his hand dropped from her shoulder, curling around Eidra's arm as he pulled her close.  
Brenna sniffed, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand, “I have to go.... Mama?” She wrapped her arms about her mother's shoulders, felt her kiss in her hair and she stepped back, looking to her father, “Would you call me again before you leave for home?”  
“Yes, and please, no more incidents like this.”  
She couldn't bring herself to embrace him, instead she simply whirled about, racing into the corridor, nearly colliding with Mister Stark outside the doorway.  
“You're ready then?”  
Brenna took one more glance into the room where her father stood, hands to his eyes, her mother before him, rubbing his arms, talking quietly to him. She started down the corridor as quickly as her feet would take her until even Stark had to trot to keep up with her.  
All the way back to the school, she sat curled up in a ball. At first, Mister Stark, tried to engage her in conversations. When she refused to speak, he shrugged, busied himself making phone calls. Once back at the school, Miss Munroe was waiting for them in the foyer. She asked to be excused to her room with a promise to come to Miss Munroe's office before the evening meal.  
Once inside, she locked her door and crawled into her bed, covering herself completely with her blanket, shutting out the light, the sound of the world outside to wet her pillow with lonely, frustrated, heartbroken tears.


	29. 29

When she arrived at the dining hall after her meeting with Miss Munroe, she looked for Chase and Brian, finally finding them in a corner table, talking. She sat down beside Chase, putting her head down on the table.  
“You get the same lecture?” Chase slipped his arm around her shoulders.  
“Did it sound anything like “this kind of behavior will not be tolerated, I expect you to follow the rules here?”  
“More or less.”  
She nodded against the hard wood, raised her head and looked over at Brian who continued to eat.  
“Please do not be mad at me.”  
He glared at her, eyes narrowed, “My dad grounded me from Baby Girl for a month, a goddamn month! Now I wanna go somewhere, I gotta bum a ride offa someone.”  
“I did not know we would be caught! I thought we could get in and out undetected.”  
Brian snorted, “Yeah, I guess we need to get a bit better at the whole covert ops shit before we pull a stunt like that again.”  
“There will be no more stunts, rest assured,” she stood back up.  
Chase rose with her, “Are you gonna get something to eat? Let me get it, sit down.”  
“No,” she held up a hand, “I have lost my appetite. I am going back to my room.”  
“You want me to come with you?” Chase bent to grab his tray.  
“No, I want to be alone.”  
Chase stared at her as she wove through the students at the tables and out of the great hall.  
“Damn, maybe that trip was a bad idea.”  
Brian sat back in his chair, “Ya think?”

 

When Chase knocked on her door some time later, she was curled up in her easy chair beneath a blanket.   
He knelt down in front of her with a tray, “I brought you one of those fruit cups you like, and a bowl of chicken fingers. I hated to think of you up here hungry and alone.”  
She chuckled, recalling the first time she had heard the words chicken and fingers together. She had laughed so hard she'd had tears in her eyes. She stuck her hand from beneath the blanket to stroke his cheek.   
“You always take care of me.”  
He set the tray aside, took her face in his hand and began to kiss her, soft, slow until her arms came from beneath the blanket and wrapped around his chest.   
“I thought everyone was going to be mad with me,” She put her forehead down onto his shoulder as he rubbed her back.  
“Sophie's kinda miffed that you didn't include her but then I told her we'd been caught so she felt better...not that we'd been caught, but that she hadn't gone...Brian will get over it, he's not so much mad at you as he is that he couldn't pull it off like a boss you know?”  
She sighed, “It would seem none of us could.”  
Chase pushed her back to look into her eyes, “No way, did your parents know what you did?”  
“Yes, not only did they have those video cameras in the hospital...”  
“I didn't think they would be able to catch us on video.....now Miss Munroe's statements make more sense..”  
“I told you my brother let slip about my abilities. My father knew at once my little sister's recovery was no mere miracle.”  
“Were they happy with what you did?”  
“They were happy that I had helped her, I suppose. They were not, however, thrilled with the means to the end.”  
“Well you got it half right then.”  
She sat back in the chair and drew her fingers through her hair, “Did I?”

 

 

After nearly a week and a half, with Cait steadily gaining weight, the pediatrician deemed her well enough to go home. When she finally latched on for the first time, Eidra had cried with joy. The day they were discharged from the hospital, Cait was weighed one final time. She had put on two pounds and was now a healthy five pounds ten ounces. She was alert, her eyes bright, vocal chords most definitely well developed.   
After Brenna's visit, Loki had lapsed into a quiet depression save for the times he would hold Cait and rock her, talk to her, kiss her forehead. More often he would sit at the window looking out over the city, trapped within his own thoughts. Eidra knew she had to do all she could to facilitate their return to Asgard. He needed to go home almost as much as she did.   
True, she had made fast friends with the nurses and Lily's presence during the day helped greatly. She had even taught Lily to knit between times when she would have to express milk for the baby and when the baby would sleep. She had begged Lily one day to find her a pair of knitting needles and a skein of yarn before she went mad with boredom. Lily had done her one better, bringing sets of needles introducing Eidra to a wide variety of yarn she had bought at a local yarn shop.   
Eidra had to admit she'd become much enamored of the rainbow of bright colors and textures each skein provided. Lily had been happy to feed her addiction, going so far as to buy her some pattern books which she shyly reminded Lily she could not read seeing as they were written in Midgardian. Lily brought her some paper and took the time to read the patterns aloud so Eidra could write them out.  
Lily confessed to Eidra that of all the assignments she'd had in recent memory, this had been the most enjoyable one. Even Loki had fallen into a guarded acquaintanceship with Lily. The three of them would often talk, comparing Midgard and Asgard. From time to time he even related stories and legends he'd been told as a boy at Odin's knee. So comfortable did their routine become in fact, that apart from the nurses who'd been dedicated to Cait's recovery, saying goodbye to Lily had been particularly difficult.  
Loki stood apart while Eidra hugged Lily, thanking her over and over for everything she'd done. In the end, he had shaken her hand, echoing Eidra's appreciation for Lily's help and his promise again to repay her one day for it.  
One of the nurses donated an old suitcase to Eidra for the return home. Loki had shaken his head at the skeins of yarn interspersed with the onesies, blankets, and nappies but Lily and Eidra had exchanged knowing smiles.

Still with all the convenience of Midgard, it had never felt quite like home. It had been foreign, sterile, impossible to manage without someone to read every little label, every scrap of paper for her. Truthfully, she had been delighted to return home to the family. For an entire day, Fen clung to her, never letting her from his site, however, being at so tender an age, he was thus swiftly distracted by the new baby.  
Aside from the fact, in his opinion, that she was only a girl, he'd hovered around her until Eidra begged Loki and Chris to take him outside and amuse him. Chris had shooed Fen out the door, following after him, albeit slowly. Eidra was thrilled to see Chris was now getting along on his own with the aid of a crutch only. The strength seemed to have returned to his arm.  
Loki leaned over and bussed her cheek, lingering a moment. Eidra breathed in the scent of woodsmoke and leather and perspiration; she declared she would never smelled anything better and she raised her hand to his chin, keeping him there a merest second longer until he was following Chris out the door. His melancholy had only increased, the more time they'd spent in Midgard but now at home, he'd brightened, seeming to come back to himself when he saw how much improved Chris was.  
“She's so tiny, like a wee doll,” Sally stroked Cait's cheek with a finger and sighed. Cait turned her head towards the caress, mouth open.   
“She looks hungry.” Helgi looked to Eidra.   
“Is it that time already? Goodness it seems she ate but a short time ago.”   
Eidra took her seat in the rocking chair before the fire as Sally lifted Cait gingerly from Helgi's lap placing her in Eidra's arms.   
“She is always hungry. It is as if she is trying to make up for arriving early.”  
Eidra unlaced the bodice of her dress, clucking her tongue at the wet square of cloth clinging there which she peeled away, draping it over the arm of the chair. Her milk had come in with a vengeance once Cait had started to nurse on her own. Eidra would start to flow at the merest whimper. She undid the bodice of her dress with one hand, cradling the baby in her lap then moving her into position. The moment her nipple brushed those tiny lips, Cait was rooting for all she was worth like a tiny baby bird, mouth wide until she found latch with a shuddering sigh and settled down to nurse.  
Ren peered down at her, caressing the tiny fist Cait had pressed to her cheek, “She looks just like Brenna.”   
Helgi nodded, “Right down to the mass of hair. Brenna had such beautiful fine locks, still does.”  
“Did you see Brenna?” Helgi ventured as they sat around the fire talking, watching the new baby.  
Eidra nodded, relating the details of the visit to much clucking of tongues and shocked gasps.  
“Such insolence! You did not bring her up to be so rude. It is that realm, it has changed her.” Helgi cried, so upset her knitting lay forgotten in her lap.  
“I do not know whether it is the realm or perhaps the age that has brought this change. Do not any of you recall your youth? How impetuous, rash you were? How little you paid heed to warnings or the merest advice no matter how pleasantly delivered? Helgi, would I listen to you? Did I not suffer for it?”  
Helgi picked up her knitting again, “Do not make excuses, child. Brenna is growing up. She knows right from wrong.”  
Eidra looked down at Cait who had started to nod off though each time Eidra would start to withdraw her nipple, Cait's little jaws would start moving again. “She is my daughter, my bright star. I cannot help my weakness.”  
Helgi set a hand on Eidra's knee, “I said nothing of weakness, poppet.”  
Sally shook her head, “Sure and it's purely out of love that we concede to the irrational wishes, insensible ideas of a young mind.”  
“I asked her to come home but she refused. I spoke with her before we left Midgard and it like to have broken my heart. She cried, said she missed me, told me to tell Loki that she was sorry for her actions but in the end she still refused to return with us.”   
Her bottom lip trembled and she bit it until she could speak again, “I have implored Loki to consider visiting her during Jul. That way I may see the place where she is staying and know she is safe and happy. The man Loki calls Fury has said we must travel through the Bifrost if we are to return and with the King in attendance as well.”  
Fury, having learned how they had arrived on Midgard undetected, had acquiesced to the gravity of the situation. He had asked Loki to relinquish the Uruz, declaring it a dangerous loophole that, in the wrong hands, could be extremely dangerous. Loki had refused, explaining that it belonged ultimately to his wife and essentially to the Alfari people. He had no more right to surrender it than Fury had to demand it.After much consideration Fury acquiesced to his argument, thereby informing Loki that he was to travel only with Thor via the Bifrost which could be detected and traced to the point of arrival by S.H.I.E.L.D. Any other visitations without such provisos would be considered a hostile act on his part.   
“Is it really as frightening as you described it?” Helgi paused, “Midgard?”  
“It would make no sense to you whatsoever, Helgi. They call our ways primitive. They have horseless wagons, large carts that fly over the city, boxes which show moving pictures in them, strange music, lights run by something called electricity, small squares they call cell phones to talk to people over a great distance..had I not been so worried about Cait, had I not needed their help, I would have run screaming back to Asgard.”  
“It sounds like dark magic,” Helgi shivered. “Thank the gods you are home safe again.”

“I'm running out of grapeshot, my boy,” Chris sat on the stump by the forge, now cold, as Loki picked some finished horse shoes from the nail stuck in the post of the shelter wall. He waved his crutch at the forge, “I shall either have to beg some iron from Vedic or give in and let you teach me how to shoot one of those accursed crossbows.”  
Loki handed the horseshoes to Fen to carry while he grabbed a bag of nails and his sack of tools. “I would go so far as to say that your accuracy may be much improved by a weapon that shoots straight.”  
“Fie upon you” Chris snorted as Loki smiled,” 'tis no secret that you've always professed to hate my trusty musket, the founder of many a feast. I will learn the crossbow when you attempt to shoot my firearm, or when I run out of shot as aforementioned.”  
“Papa, might I learn to shoot the crossbow?” Fen hefted the horseshoes to his chest as they walked towards the stable.  
“You have your drawstring bow. The crossbow is too big and much too hard for you to load. Your bow will take down a deer as surely as my crossbow. It is not size that matters, rather accuracy. The biggest bow will not make the difference if you miss your mark.”  
“Wise words,” Chris nodded, prodding Fen with his crutch, “Listen to your father, my boy.”  
As they headed for the stable, Loki looked about them, “Hunting season is fast approaching. Mabon is upon us. I have lost precious time with the harvest because we were away and now I must hurry to catch up. Fen, you will help us with the hunt this year. The small game you take will swell the larder...,” He reached down, ruffled Fen's dark hair, “But for now we have much to do.”  
“He was good as gold in your absence. Every morning, he would get up with us and help with chores.” Chris looked down at Fen, “He'd milk, help to pitch hay with his hands for he could not toss it with a fork. He'd do the ladies bidding.”  
“Is that so?”  
“Yes, Papa. I wanted you to be happy when you came home.”  
A sad look crossed over Loki's face that Chris did not miss. He reached over and patted Loki's arm.   
“My son, you cannot upbraid yourself so.” His gaze shifted to Fen then back to Loki, “But we will talk of such affairs later.”  
Loki grunted his assent, “Indeed.”  
They walked into the stable where Blackberry and Lightning swung their heads around to regard Loki.  
“It has been a while, hasn't it? Forgive me,” he patted Blackberry's nose. “You know I've been pondering mating the two of them. What say you?”  
Chris sat on a low stool with a groan, “Another work horse says you, another mouth to feed says I.”  
Loki rubbed Blackberry's neck, “On the contrary. By the time the horse was gentled and trained, it would be ready for Cait.”  
“Ooo, thinking ahead are we? 'Twill be a fair long time before she can ride” He looked over the two horses, pointed with his crutch, “In any case how do you know of their intentions? Wilt thou let them have their courtship first or must it be straightaway to the bedchamber?”  
Loki laughed, “My good friend, I must admit to missing you a great deal more than is likely proper for any man. It does my heart good to see you so well attended now.”  
Chris flushed scarlet, kicked the dirt about with the toe of his boot. “I had reason to be. I must needs tell you that I wish to be a burden no longer to you here. I believe I am well enough to return to my cottage. Do you not agree?”  
Loki had entered Blackberry's stall to lead her out into the open as he heard Fen whine, “Uncle Chris, I do not want you to leave. Please stay.”  
Loki glanced to Chris, seeing Fen draped over his leg, hugging his portly belly. “Now my boy, we rely too much on the good graces of your parents.”  
“Nonsense,” Loki called to him as he raised Blackberry's left foreleg to clamp it between his knees, “Boy, fetch me my tool bag, damn my memory.”  
Fen dragged the heavy satchel to Loki and stood well back as he had always been instructed.  
“As I was saying, nonsense, you are no burden to us. Your company is most welcome.”  
“And a drain upon your stores.” Chris patted his belly, “Do you not deny that I can eat Blackberry's weight in venison, potatoes and pork in all of a week's time?”  
“And that is why we will go hunting before too long.”   
He snipped the old nails securing the worn horseshoe to Blackberry's hoof and she fidgeted at the sensation, her skin rippling, reaching her head around to nip at Loki as Chris yelled out, “Boy, watch 'er, she has designs upon your backside.”   
Loki reached behind him and pushed her head back, “Blackberry, behave!”  
She gave an indignant whinny, shook her head.  
“Now, hear me out. If you insist on returning to the cottage which is your right, at least stay until spring. Winter is by far the hardest time of the year and I would sleep better knowing you were safe under my roof than struggling in the snow at your own farm. Your animals are all here,” He gestured to the bay Daisy who was scratching her massive head against the post in her stall on the other side of the stable, right beside Olive who watched Loki apprehensively while he continued to change the shoe, “Your cottage is sealed up well, waiting for you. Perhaps you will need no crutch by then. Do not speed your recovery lest you relapse. Will you stay?” He tossed the old shoe onto the ground and dug out the clippers to trim the edge of the hoof.  
Chris leaned onto the armrest of the crutch, “There is wisdom in what you say, my boy but what of Brenna?”  
Loki clenched his jaw, “What of her?”  
“If she comes back, I say again, would you have her sleep on a pallet before the fire?”  
“There will be no danger of such a thing, she does not wish to come home.”  
“Not even with a new baby sister to attend to? Preposterous,” Chris softened his tone at the pain reflected in Loki's countenance, “I'm sorry, my son. I've a willing ear if you've need to bend it.”  
Loki shook his head, gave a nod toward Fen, “Later?”  
Chris put a hand to his forehead, “Damn my memory.”  
Loki waved the file at him, “And that there, forgetfulness, someone has to save you from yourself.”  
“Speaking of forgetfulness, I neglected to tell you the evening last when you returned that you'd a visitor while away.”  
Loki had moved around to Blackberry's right foreleg and he peered beneath her belly, “Oh?” He took the clippers Fen held in his outstretched hand.  
“Yea, 'twas your brother, the king. He wished for you to accompany him this week hence to gather the tributes of wine and mead for Mabon. I had not the temerity to lie to him. I told him you'd gone to Earth...Midgard...blast it...explained to him that Eidra had been in distress.”  
“And what was his answer?” Loki pried the old shoe loose.  
“At first he seemed a bit put out that you went to Midgard unaccompanied...was of a mind to follow you along. Of course I thought up a white lie. I told him you had returned to say all was well.”  
“And the oaf believed you?”  
“He said he would return soon to check upon us.” Fen piped up, “He said he might ask if I could accompany you as well. May I, Papa?”  
“I never said I was going. What else did he say?”  
Chris hauled himself up from the stool, limping around the front of Blackberry to stand beside Loki, keeping his voice low, “He was incensed that you'd traveled without him and with that little medallion. He believes he has to keep track of you.”  
“He always has,” Loki straightened up and stretched before moving to Blackberry's right hind leg, drawing his hand down her flank, her leg to her hoof so as not to startle her. When Fen trotted right around to stand before him with the bag of tools, Loki reached for his arm and guided him around to his side to stand with Chris. “Boy, where were you just now?”  
“In front of you, Papa.” Fen tilted his head.  
“Where have I told you never to stand?”  
Fen's mouth hung open and he looked around the barn in apparent search for the answer until Loki sighed, “Behind the horse because you never know when they will kick?”  
“Oh yes! Sorry Papa.”   
Chris patted his head. “Yes my boy, let us not learn everything the hard way if we can help it.”  
Loki smiled, “Indeed. There has been enough of that already.”

Eidra had settled the baby in her cradle a moment before Loki, Fen and Chris returned from the stable. Sally and Helgi were preparing the evening meal. He nodded to them as he walked through into the bedchamber to stand beside Eidra who was gazing down at Cait.   
“She is perfect, is she not?” he slid his hand into hers.  
Eidra nodded, squeezed his hand, “Come let her sleep. She has just finished nursing.”   
She led him out into the common room where Chris had settled himself at the table with Fen who came running to Loki, “Papa look at the two new animals Uncle Chris has carved for me.”  
He handed Loki a wooden duck with finely detailed feathers and a dog sitting with its tail around its legs.   
“It is a duck and a wolf, Papa.”  
“Ah a wolf, my mistake.”  
Fen giggled, “What did you think it was, Papa?”  
“A dog..”Loki sat at the table beside Chris who was looking over his past work. Fen climbed up on his lap, “Uncle Chris, is a wolf a dog too?”  
“I suppose it is a sort of dog, they are of the Canis Lupus family.”  
“The what?” Fen studied the carving.  
“Ah yes, Latin, my boy...Canis meaning dog, Lupus meaning wolf. So I would say that you are both right, dog-wolf.”  
Eidra had watched the exchange between them as she set the table. As she passed Loki, she leaned down and kissed him, holding the contact long enough to feel that warmth spreading inward to her core and she sighed as she broke the kiss, looking into his eyes, seeing the same unspoken thoughts in his smile.  
“Put your animals in the box, Fen. It is time to eat,” Loki handed the carvings to him, turning to see Eidra peering into the darkness of the bedchamber. “Eidra, is everything alright?”  
“Yes, I was just listening for the baby,” She walked to the table and sat beside Loki as they began to pass the plate of roasted chicken and the bowls of boiled potatoes and parsnips about. “I worry incessantly.”  
“She is fine, it is you I worry about. Now eat, the newest princess will soon demand her next feeding.  
She smiled as Loki handed her the platter of chicken, thinking back on the artificial food she'd had to endure on Midgard. “And demand she will.”

 

Not long after dinner, Fen had been sent to bed having begun to nod off in Eidra's lap as they sat talking quietly around the table, but before long, Eidra was heading in the same direction as her head drooped to her chest.   
“Eidra,” Loki shook her gently, “Go to bed, I will be in soon.”  
She nodded, rose, taking a small lantern from the table and shuffled into the bedchamber where she knelt to the cradle and gently stroked Cait's tummy, feeling her little heart beating beneath her hand. Assured she was well, Eidra set the lantern on the small stand beside the bed and donned her gown, slipping beneath the coverlet, shivering. The nights were swiftly becoming cold again. Autumn was here. She lay staring into the lamplight, listening to Cait's little movements as she shifted about in the cradle, her breathy sighs....

….and nearly sat bold upright as she heard a little squeak issue from the darkness. She looked about the room, barely lit by the half moon streaming through the window. She felt Loki's weight beside her, his breathing even but not deep. She leaned over to the stand, grabbed the flint and opened the lantern door, striking a flame. Then she tiptoed across the floor and lifted Cait from the cradle.   
“Oh you are wet, let us fetch a nappy for you.”  
She rooted around in the suitcase Loki had set beside the wardrobe when they had come home, pushing aside the yarns and the onesies until she found the linen nappies as the bottom. When she had readied to return to Asgard, the nurses had asked her if she would use disposable nappies and she had laughed that linen would do just fine. She laid one out on the bed and lay Cait upon it, loudly protesting as she was divested of her warm blanket and baby gown. Loki rolled over on his side to watch with sleep filled eyes as Eidra deflty pinned the new nappy on and wrapped Cait in fresh blankets, slipped into bed and lay her between her knees while she lifted her breasts free of her gown. She positioned Cait in her lap, guided her to the nipple and leaned back against the headboard as she began to nurse.  
Loki raised himself on an elbow, leaning into her side. He reached over to stroke the back of his fingers gently down the swell of her breast again and again. She felt the tingle as her milk began to let down and she relaxed, tilting her head to the side to kiss the top of his head.  
He looked up at her in the lamplight, “Do you know how truly lovely you are at this moment, nursing our baby, the mountains I would move, the oceans I would cross for you, for our family?”  
She smiled, “You have done so much for me, for us. It pains me so to see you so sad, so melancholy, I wish only to make you happy again.”  
He inched upward, his lips at the shell of her ear, “You have, you always shall,” he kissed the curve of her neck, “Eidra, I ache for you.”  
She could feel his hand a fist on her thigh, could only imagine the control he was having to call upon. She too was ready to reach for him, guide him inside her.  
“As do I for you, my prince but the physician on Midgard said we must refrain from intimate relations until I am healed in the very least.”  
He kissed her shoulder, his hair tickling the skin there and she closed her eyes, “Besides, what if I were to become pregnant again?”  
She felt him smile. “So be it.”  
“Loki,” she gasped, “'Tis far too soon!”  
The baby sighed aloud having fallen off to sleep again. Eidra bundled her well, placing her back in her cradle and returning to cuddle against Loki, nestling her head in the crook of his elbow, while her hand found him. He groaned as she chuckled, “ 'Tis the least I can do for you.”  
He bucked up into her hand, “ Nay, 'tis the best you can do for me.”  
It wasn't long before he was burying his cries in the hollow of her throat as he curled around her, spilling into her hand, onto her stomach, his words lost. All he could do was moan her name over and over, his arms wrapped about her waist, breath heavy in her ear.   
Later, she lay listening to the stillness of the cottage, her arm draped over his stomach as he slept. Yes she would eventually give him another child, she thought to herself. She was still young and one of her greatest joys were the children. Then she thought of Brenna and hugged Loki tighter to her, thinking hard upon how to untangle the riddle that was the relationship between Brenna and her father. How would she ever make Brenna see how very much her father loved her, harder still, to make her realize how much she loved him in turn.


	30. 30

He stared at the phone in his hand a moment longer before setting it down on the polished mahogany desk, leaning back in his chair and staring out the tall arched windows down the sloping lawn to the pond where Smith was currently worrying the geese. He sighed loudly, rose from the leather chair and walked to the french doors, throwing them open to step onto the veranda.  
“Smith! You idiot, leave those damnable birds alone!”  
He leaned over, hands on the marble rail as the chocolate lab came running towards the house, tongue streaming to the side of his mouth, bounded up the veranda steps and plunked himself down on his haunches, waiting for his master's next order while the geese settled back down at the pond's edge flapping their wings and honking their indignation.  
“Damn dog. How many times have I told Gerald not to let you out into the western lawn?”  
The dog lay down and started to pant, effecting a blissful ignorant smile. He shook his head, opened the doors again and waved his hand, “Go on, get inside.”   
Smith trotted into his office, veering around behind the desk where he leaped up into the leather office chair.  
“Get down!” He shooed Smith to the floor, taking the dog's place as he down at the desk. He was reaching for the phone when the intercom keyed up.  
“Doctor Wells? You said you needed the car ready for two-thirty?”  
He pressed the return button on the little gray intercom at his elbow, “Yes Miss Pelham. Tell Harry I'll be down in a few minutes, thank you.”  
He picked up his cell and looked at it again. Chase hadn't been in trouble in quite some time. Now he was suddenly involved with some mysterious girl who'd prompted him to break at least three separate school rules. He couldn't very well ground Chase from driving because he had refused to give his son a car one while he was at school. He knew what seventeen year olds did with their spare time, he wasn't so far removed as to have forgotten his own youth. He considered taking Chase's cell phone but then Annie would pitch a fit. Not that she ever called her son but if the means were taken away to do so when she got that rare motherly urge, there'd be hell to pay and he was already paying hell enough to her.  
He took his great coat from the tall rack beside his office door, threw it over his arm and grabbed the briefcase on the floor. After he locked the door behind him, punching in the security code on a small pad on the wall, he headed through the library, stopping to choose one of his favorite books, a small leather bound copy of “Prometheus Unbound.” from the shelves lining the walls. It was going to be a long flight. He slipped it into an inner pocket of his great coat and proceeded into the hall, passing several painted portraits of his ancestors in receding succession.   
At the beginning of the hall, he stared up at a large portrait of himself that he'd had painted a few years back. The portraits aged as he continued down the hall, his father, his grandfather a prominent physician in Washington D.C in the fifties, great-grandfather, his great-great grandfather and great-great grandmother come over from England in seventeen-forty five, she the daughter of a wealthy merchant, he a master shipbuilder. When Chase graduated from college, his portrait would hang on this wall as well, provided he made the right career choices.   
Maybe Chase wouldn't exactly follow in his father's footsteps, per se. Not everyone could hope to become the director of one of New York's largest psychiatric institutions. It was certainly not a job for the weak willed and judging by what he saw of the next generation, there were few who would rise up to take the mantle from him for a very long time. He walked into the foyer where Miss Pelham, a beautiful brunette with ample curves stood holding a folder out to him.   
“My speech?” He took the folder from her and opened it.  
“Yes, sir. Two copies like you asked, bold phrases underlined. Your flight leaves in an hour and a half. Weather delay.”  
“Should have brought two books,” he muttered, “Very well, Gina. I will see you when I return.” He eyed the butler, waiting at the front door and winked at Gina who smiled, flushed pink  
Harry was waiting with the limousine at the bottom of the steps. As David Wells emerged from the mansion, he opened the back door. “Good morning, sir.”  
David nodded as he let himself down into the seat, “That remains to be seen. It could have started out better.”  
“Well there's always hope.” Harry quipped as he shut the door.  
David sat forward, opened the small refrigerator built into the space between two seats and pulled out a bottle of lager. It was exactly what he needed right now. His cell phone began to ring just as he was settling back in the seat. He slipped it from his suit pocket. It was Annie. He let the call go to voicemail. Yessiree, he needed that beer.

 

Maybe, just maybe if he hadn't been so young when he met Annie, he would be in an entirely different place right now. The question was would he be better off or would he still be doing rounds at some small town clinic in Wherethefuck, Iowa? Considering the life changing encounter, he would likely be dead without her. He could recall his first encounter with Annie in perfect clarity.  
He had been in his second year of medical school in New York City, a lonely outsider. A prodigy at fifteen, having graduated high school at the early age of thirteen, he was working towards a career in psychiatry. He had once quipped , half jokingly, that were he able to obtain such a degree, he would be able to base his whole practice upon his family.  
That winter, the college had offered a trip to Lake Placid, in Upstate New York. Some students had come to ski or hike, skate, shop. About half had come to party someplace else besides the dorms.   
He had stayed at one of the hotels in the Olympic village, enjoyed a bit of cross-country skiing, not really wanting to, not being able to party with the older kids and so mostly kept to himself.   
One evening, when the moon cast its full beauty across Mirror Lake, he had gone out for a walk. The night had been frigid, the cold accentuated by the canopy of space, glittering with starlight. He had ventured onto the ice, intending only to view the village from a different angle. He had, however, come too close to one of the docks that jutted into the lake and the soft ice gave way beneath him, dropping him into the icy depths like a stone.   
His jacket began to drag him down as it quickly became waterlogged. He was only able to surface once, gasping, struggling to draw the numbingly cold air into his lungs, before he sank back down into the water which found access access through his nose, his mouth as he opened it in a soundless scream. His eyes locked onto the lights of the dock only feet above him, his arms flailing weakly in a futile effort to reach the wooden ladder silhouetted in the murk, his vision starting to fade , never seeing the lights disappear as a figure stepped onto the dock.  
He was going to lose the fight for his life. He was sure of it. Panic gave way to a brief moment of terror as he surrendered to the weight of the water closing in over him when he felt hands snatch the fabric of his heavy coat and there was a brief sensation of rising through the water, but higher, much higher than the surface of the lake until he was hovering over the dock. His last sight before he lost consciousness was of a young girl dressed in a white parka, her brunette hair pulled back in a pony tail, hand outstretched, face locked in a frightened grimace.  
He had awakened on his side on the dock, wet, shivering, vomiting Mirror lake across the icy wooden planks. Annie had been kneeling over him yelling for help to someone he couldn't see.  
Her act of heroism began the hardest phase of his life though he couldn't know it at the time. A beautiful girl had saved his life and it had all seemed so romantic, like a scene straight out of a movie. He didn't care about the fact she was a mutant, at least not then. There had been times, however, when he regretted it. Annie tended toward the vindictive more often than not and he had the scars to prove it.  
He sighed, took a long swallow of beer, drew “Prometheus Unbound” from his coat pocket and began to read.

 

 

Brenna found Chase sitting on one of the couches in the library, his arm across his eyes, cell phone on the cushion beside him. He grimaced as she sat down, “Just got done talking to my dad. No let me rephrase that. Just got done getting lined out.”  
“What did he say?”  
Chase sat straight up, “He said women were trouble and that I had better focus on my studies instead.” He'd said quite a bit more too but since that was the gist of the whole conversation, she didn't need to know how base his father could be.  
She leaned over, her head on his shoulder, “And will you obey him or shirk convention?”  
“What do you think?” Chase put his arm around her.  
She gave a sad smile, fingered the birthstone pendant Chase had given her . “Good, because I would not be able to do this without you.”  
He shook his head, “You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Don't short yourself.”  
“I wish I could see myself as you do.”  
“I wish you could too.”

As September turned to October and cold weather, Brenna was introduced to a new activity. Watching football. At first the rules confused her but she kept returning, drawn by the ferocity of the sport. She would sit with the boys and a few of the girls in the rec room watching the games on the big screen, asking about what was happening until she could understand the action reasonably well. She was also on the cusp of her first school dance.  
Sophie had volunteered her for the decorating committee. After expressing shock, she had gamely accepted the appointment though privately she wondered just exactly what a decorating committee was. She needed to take her mind away from the incident at the hospital. As of late, she'd been thinking quite a lot upon her new sister and what Fen must think of her.  
What with the new baby to grab his attention, she wondered if he would forget about her altogether. She knew it was an entirely outrageous notion but she couldn't help feeling replaced. She also had to admit to a bit of jealousy. She recalled standing at her mother's chair while she nursed Fen wondering if her own mother had nursed her, held her, comforted her. These were the times when she would need to clear her mind and focusing on a task was just what she needed.  
Thus she found herself on a cool fall Sunday afternoon kneeling on the floor in one of the art rooms painting in the letters on a large banner that read “Homecoming 2024”  
Sophie, Dylan and Chase were at a table beside her, making posters to hang in the hallways.   
Sophie, glanced at the banner, “Looking good, Bren.”   
Brenna smiled, “Thanks, I do enjoy painting, I must say. It's relaxing.”  
Sophie raised an eyebrow, “Bren did I just hear a contraction?”  
Brenna blushed, “Oh hush,”  
She had started to adopt a smattering of the Midgardian dialect she heard every day from the students about her. She knew that if her father heard her, he would take her to task on it, saying she sounded like a peasant, that she must speak properly. She would have to remember to pay attention the next time she saw him.  
“So Brenna,” Dylan glanced over at her, “What kind of sports do they play where you come from?”  
Brenna dipped her brush in the water, swished it around to remove the green paint from it and blotted the wet brush on a paper towel, moving on to the pot of red acrylic.  
“We wrestle, race on foot and horseback, we swim, we spar with swords. We also have archery contests and we hunt, but rarely for sport,” she paused, “Oh and we also play knattleikr. The nearest I can come to an example is the game you call field hockey.”  
“You spar with swords? You mean fencing right? Like Professor Wagner?”   
Chase caught her eye and nodded.  
“Yes, like that,” she started with the red paint on the letter C.  
“You make it sound like the Middle Ages,” Dylan mimicked swinging a sword to and fro, “Archery, fencing. I'd rather learn those sports instead of tennis and golf, damn.”  
She was silent, trying to determine whether Dylan was teasing her when he changed tack.  
“I'm gonna assume that you're going with Brenna to the dance, right?” he elbowed Chase.  
“Yeah, that was the plan.”  
Brenna looked up at him and he regarded her, “What?”  
She shrugged, “You did not ask me to accompany you.”  
“Well, I thought it was a given. I mean people do go stag all the time....alone....but don't you want to go with me?”  
“Chase,” she frowned, shook her head.  
“Hey, I'm just asking.”  
“Of course I do. I still have to find something to wear. I asked Nala to help me. She said the school has dresses that have been donated to them for students to use.”  
Sophie pantomimed sticking her finger down her throat, “Gross, I mean have you seen them yet? They're out of date, garish, frilly crap. I have dresses to spare, you didn't say you needed one.”  
“I truly did not think of it. I meant no slight,” Brenna sat back on her heels.  
“Well after we're done here, let's go to my room and we'll find you a few to try on.”  
Chase elbowed Sophie, grinning, “Can I come with you to give my approval?”  
“No you cannot, you dog!” She swatted at him, “All you want is to see a peep show.”  
Dylan laughed as he and Chase shared a high five, “Truth, brother!”  
Sophie scootched down the table to distance herself from the two boys, “Pigs.”  
“Sophie,” Chase tossed a marker at her which she tossed back, “Are you going with Dylan?”  
“Well duh?” Sophie took one of her own markers and tossed it at Dylan. “He asked me months ago.”  
Dylan nodded assent, “What about Brian, he going stag?”  
“I think so, poor guy, he's everyone's buddy, no one's honey.”  
Brenna had moved to the next letter and the next color, yellow.   
“We must find him a date then. He is his own worst enemy I swear...he terrified me when I first met him. He thinks he must make people laugh for them to like him.”  
“But that's his angle,” Chase put another finished poster on the pile, “Women love men who make them laugh.”  
“But he must know when to be serious,” Brenna swirled her brush in the gray water and squeezed out the excess with a paper towet, “What about Rachel?”  
She thought back to the girl he'd been making eyes at since she'd started at the school, the girl with the dark hair and green eyes. Every time he got near her, he'd turn into a jester.  
“Serious is overrated.” Chase glanced down at her, “The world is serious enough, don't you think?”  
Brenna sat back on her heels again, “From what I have seen in my time here, this world is far from serious about all the wrong things and deadly serious about the most trivial of matters.”  
“And where you come from it's all perfect right? Nothing ever goes wrong?”  
Sophie and Dylan exchanged looks at each other then at Chase and Brenna.   
“I did not say that. I only mean that here, you seem to lose sight of the big picture, you worry incessantly about how you look to the point of mutilating yourself to achieve a stranger's idea of perfection. You concern yourself with popularity, money..”  
Chase put his marker down, “You just try to get anywhere without it!”  
Brenna stood with the jar of dirty water and walked to the sink. “But to the exclusion of all else?” She stopped, her hands on the edge of the basin, stainless steel cold beneath her hands. “I have a headache, excuse me.”  
Without another word, she walked out of the art room and headed down the hall.  
“Wow,” Dylan stared after her, “That was quite the burn.”  
Chase picked up his marker, set it down again, picked it back up and slammed it on the table, started to stand up but Sophie was already heading for the door.  
“Will you guys let me talk to her. She's not herself. Pick up the paints for me and carefully put the banner on the long table to dry.”  
“Yes Ma'am,” Chase muttered as Sophie trotted out into the hallway.

Sophie found Brenna in the rec room sitting cross-legged before the fireplace, staring into the flames. She sat in one of the overstuffed chairs and nudged Brenna with her toe, receiving a sigh for her effort.  
“What's wrong?”  
“I am homesick.” The words had been a long time coming.  
Sophie sat forward, “We all get homesick once in a while. You aren't thinking of going home are you?”  
Brenna wrapped her arms around herself, “Even if I wanted to, it would be impossible. My father has made sure I must stay here.” She had seen the Uruz around his neck that day at the hospital. It was highly likely she would never get the chance to touch it again.  
“But wouldn't he come and get you if you asked him?”  
“That is just it. It is not like I can call him, there are no phones where I live.”  
“What about your neighbors?”  
Brenna's frown deepened, “Anywhere, no phones, no televisions, no cars, no computers, nothing.”  
“Sorry, I forget that. Well what can we do to help you feel more at home?” She reached over to rub Brenna's shoulder.  
“There is little you can do. It will pass..”  
Brenna rose from the floor and Sophie joined her, “Do you want to come to my room and try on dresses?”  
Brenna shook her head, “Not tonight, I think I just want to lie down and read. I have a current events paper to write. Tomorrow perhaps.”  
“Sure,” on impulse Sophie hugged her, “We can put up the posters after supper and then we'll go to my room. You sure you're not coming down with something? Is it that time of month?”  
Brenna thought about it, “I simply miss home.” she sighed, “I shall talk to you tomorrow.”  
Sophie nodded, “Alright then. Tomorrow it is.”

Sophie caught Chase as he headed down the hallway towards the rec room. “If you're looking for Bren, she went to her room. She's not feeling good, she told me to tell you.”  
He threw his hands in the air, “I wanted to apologize to her for getting so snappy.”  
“Let her cool down for the night, she said she's feeling homesick,” she took Chase's arm.  
“How ironic,” he grumbled as he let himself be led away from the rec room, “I'm sick of home.”  
“Oh?”  
Chase stuffed his hands in his pockets, “Yeah, my dad called me today and lined me out for taking off with Brian and Brenna.”  
Sophie chewed her lip, “Well you did break the rules.”  
“Yeah I know but why didn't he let Miss Munroe yell at me and be done with it? Why did he have to join in?”  
Sophie gave him a shove, “Cause that's what parents do.”  
She stopped at the door to her room, across the hall from Brenna's, “Give her the night, she'll be fine tomorrow.”  
He stood in the hall for a long time after Sophie closed her door behind her, staring at Brenna's door in turn. Finally he started toward the stairs up to his own room.


	31. 31

Loki knelt on the ground, easing himself down against the tree trunk. He had gone some distance to relieve himself, now he elbowed Chris who snorted awake, hands grabbing for his musket. Loki had taken the firearm from his friend's limp hands when he'd returned so that he didn't shoot first and ask questions later. He waited until Chris stopped flailing around and turned to Loki.  
“Oh I am sorry, lad. The woods are so quiet and peaceful at this time of day, the birds chirping, the wind rustling through the pines. Did I miss anything?”  
“I know not, I was over the hill yonder.”  
He smiled at Chris's crestfallen face, “My friend, if you have missed one buck, I daresay there will be many others to follow.”  
Chris sighed, readjusting himself at the tree as they scanned the surrounding forest, “When I shuffle off this mortal coil, I should like to be buried out here in the wilderness..”  
Loki picked up a fallen leaf and began to tear at it, “Why speak of such tragedy? You have many a season to come. Time enough to decide where you will rest your weary head at the last.”  
“If the truth be told, I number three centuries plus according to your count. In reality, if time were measured from when I entered that godforsaken underworld to when I came here, I must be all of seventy-five. A ripe age for my family. They were decidedly long lived.”  
Loki threw the decimated leaf away, “Such talk.”  
Chris turned to him, “Have you not ever considered your own mortality, boy?”  
Loki looked down at his crossbow, “My family, too, is decidedly..... long lived.”  
Chris nodded, “You still have the look of youth about you, save for that bit of gray peeking through. I would say you were in the prime of your life.”  
“Indeed,” Loki mumbled.  
“I recall my own dear mother's funeral..waked in the front parlor she was. The undertaker had a grand conveyance. I can still recall it. Great black horses...Percherons I believe....hauling behind them a large hearse, ornately painted. Glass sides so one could see the coffin within, heavy red velvet drapes, urns etched into the glass. Then the mourners walking behind, following her to the grave site. Afterward everyone gathered at the manor for a luncheon. One of the ladies gave me her mourning ring, carnelian it was made of. I had it for quite some time though I left it at home when I set out on my own.”  
“Such strange customs you have regarding your dead.” Loki held the leaf up to gaze at it.  
“So you say. One might consider us a bit overdone truth be told. Why not just plunk us into a pine box and have done with it, eh? Still and all, I suppose you would command a great funeral, being a prince.”  
“A great barge, alight, cast out onto the ocean. Mourners lined along the shores of the Western sea. I will see myself white and stooped before I shall pass that way.”  
“Ah see,” Chris laughed, “I myself am white and stooped.”  
Loki grunted as Chris patted his shoulder, “Come now. You have dealt with loss of the highest measure and come out whole.”  
“And yet I was most definitely broken...”  
It was evident by Loki's terse replies that he was becoming irritated. Chris sighed, changing tack.  
“Have you decided to visit Brenna over Yuletide?”  
Loki gripped the crossbow hard, “I do not think she wishes to see us.”  
Chris sat forward to catch his eye, “Pinfeathers, boy! She is your daughter. This realm, until very recently, was all she had known. She had seldom been among strangers, instead cocooned within the loving arms of her family. You yourself said she came to find you at the hospital at the risk of her own safety. It is unthinkable that she would not welcome your visit. Especially during the Yuletide season when all hearts come together in love and the spirit of the season.”  
Chris leaned back against the tree, “Besides, 'twould make a cracking present for Eidra. She would want nothing more than to visit Brenna. You know it, I know it. And what of you? She is your first born?”  
“Who would like nothing better than to forget I ever was,” he swallowed hard, “She has never been close to me, always running to her mother for everything. I cannot recall having ever had a conversation with her that did not end in harsh words or tears..”  
Chris crossed his arms before him, “You cannot expect me to believe you never once spoke to your daughter in love,” he raised an eyebrow, “Though as of late you have fostered such hard feelings. She runs from the cottage, you let her go. When you chose to run after her, you upbraided her. You exclude her because she is a girl. How long did it take you to teach her to shoot that glorified bow?”  
“I do not know how to talk to her!” Loki roared, suddenly on his feet, “You are right, she is a girl. I do not ken her. I have told this to Eidra, we have had endless discord upon it.”  
“Perhaps you are talking to the wrong person.”   
By now, Chris had struggled to his feet as well, shouldering his musket, “Methinks I shall light out for home, my heart is not in the hunt today and neither, I believe, is yours.”  
Loki said nothing, keeping his gaze on the ground beneath his boots as Chris laid a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Forgive an old man his loose tongue. A great many things fail as one ages including one's good sense.”  
He watched as Chris limped away down the worn path in the direction of the cottage, knowing he should follow him along lest he fall or get turned around but the trail was mostly even and direct and he was now in a black humor. He slumped back down the tree stump again until he was sitting, his eyes on the forest, his mind elsewhere .  
Chris was right in every respect. His heart was most certainly not in the hunt. He had argued with Eidra the night before when she too had brought up the subject of a Jul visit to Brenna. He had explained patiently to her for the hundredth time that to visit her would mean a trip to Asgard in the winter with the baby wherein she had accused him of simply looking for an excuse not to go. He had stormed out of the cottage, biting back his response.  
At the end of Haust-mánuðr, a couple of days before Mabon, Thor had come to see him, his reason threefold. First to ask Loki to accompany him to gather the tributes of wine and mead from the villages as they had in the old days, to greet the new baby and ask Loki if he was going to bring her to Asgard to be marked and recognized, and to chide Loki for traveling to Midgard alone, unannounced.  
Loki had invited Thor into the cottage and they'd sat at the table sharing mugs of hard cider. When Thor had asked to hold Cait, Loki saw the old fear cross Eidra's face as she carefully laid Cait in Thor's arms. Cait had been fussy that morning but when she beheld Thor, she went silent, an awestruck look upon her little face. She stared intently up into Thor's eyes, her mouth open in an O, almost comical.  
“She is tiny,” Thor mused.  
“She was born early,” Eidra replied, hovering at his elbow as if ready to snatch her away. “She has grown well since our return. She has nearly doubled in weight.”  
“Ha! She was smaller still?”  
At his abrupt outburst, Cait's whole body spasmed and she immediately burst into tears. Loki noted Eidra's restraint as she gently held out her trembling hands, “Here, let me see her.”  
Thor handed Cait up to Eidra, “I am sorry, little one. I did not mean to frighten you.”  
Eidra clasped the baby to her chest and made a perfunctory curtsey, “Of course, she is easily startled, no harm done, your Majesty.”  
“Loki,” Thor had then turned to him,“You must have her marked and recognized. None of your children have thus been. How do you expect them to call the Bifrost when needed?”   
Loki had shaken his head, “I will allow them the choice to be recognized when they are old enough, for now the temptation to abuse the privilege is too great.”  
Thor had chuckled grimly, “It would seem you have been correct at least once.”  
He had clenched his fists beneath the edge of the table though he nodded his assent as Thor continued, “But brother, you do your children a disservice as citizens of Asgard, preventing them from being counted. Perhaps if you had brought Brenna to be recognized, she would have run to Asgard in an effort to use the bridge and we could have stopped her.”  
Loki's anger had fairly boiled over, “You recall the circumstances of her birth, do you not?”, and Eidra had walked into the bedchamber with Cait as Thor's face darkened.   
“If you had not chosen to hide your indiscretion......” He paused, closed his eyes, “Let the past be the past, Loki. I speak of the here and now. You could still bring her to a ceremony. I do not abide by father's rules. You may bring her at any time.”  
Had Fen not stood staring at the two of them, he might very well have vented his rage at Thor's base dismissal of the lowest point in his life, however, he had finally relented with a promise to consider such a trip in the future, Thor's attention then turned to more pressing matters.  
“I am also forced to ask what you were thinking when you traveled to Midgard unescorted and unannounced. I had to find out you had gone from your house guest.”  
It irked Loki to have a man he felt as family spoken so basely of. “His name is Christopher.”  
“Very well then, I had to learn of your trip through Christopher. I immediately traveled to Midgard to speak with Director Fury and the both of us agreed it would be in the best interest of all involved were you to inform me when you wished to pay Midgard a visit in the future.”  
“It was not planned, Thor! Our child was in danger and Eidra begged me to bring her there. If we had waited, if we had not left when we did, Cait would have died. Could he not see that?”  
“He did acquiesce to extenuating circumstances, however, he also expressed concern for the medallion you possess. I reassured him that you were no longer the Asgardian he remembered but he remained unconvinced, cynical.”  
Loki leaned forward in his chair, forearms on the table, “And did he inform you that he asked me to surrender the Uruz to him?”  
Thor nodded, looking past him into the flames of the fireplace. “He told me I should demand you hand it over to me, he then recounted your past...” He had glanced at Fen who had turned to play with his animals at Helgi's feet while she knit before the fire, “Lapse of judgment, as if I had forgotten them, as his reasoning for such an action.”  
“And do you intend to take the Uruz in fact?” Loki had stared hard at him.  
Thor's half smile said what words could not, “What would you do ere I did so?”  
Of course, he would refuse, move, if need be, to another realm if he must but Thor's hand raised in the air, stopped his tirade, “There is no need for such a thing save your word. I am willing to trust you, now show me the decision is the correct one.”  
Loki spied Eidra standing in the doorway of the bedchamber. Not even she knew all Thor spoke of. One of his greatest fears was that she would someday discover just how deep his madness had run. In the end, he agreed to refrain from using the Uruz provided he would never be denied a request to see Brenna. Thor had sworn with a handshake, that he would do everything in his power to grant such a request. Loki refused, however, to accompany him while he gathered tributes, using as an excuse the new baby who required such constant care that Eidra was unable to help with chores so he was tied down with double the workload. He also considered spending such a block of time with his brother and the memories it would bring back, finding he would rather face an entire herd of cows, endless pig pens, days in the hot sun harvesting, than leave Eidra's side for Thor.

 

Now, as he started for home, three rabbits he had felled tied to his belt, he felt remorse for being so sharp with Chris who had, after all, only spoken the truth. It was hardly Chris's fault that he could see the problem but not the solution. Loki searched along the path as he walked for some good pieces of wood to bring home for Chris to carve; it was the pastime that brought Chris the most joy outside of baking which he rarely bothered with anymore.  
When Loki finally walked in the door after having hung two of the skinned carcasses high in the barn, he had spied Chris rocking in one of the rocking chairs before the fire, hands laced over his stomach, talking quietly to Fen. He handed the third rabbit to Helgi, walked over to Chris and handed him the pieces of found wood.  
“Ah, my boy these shall make fine carving. Good eye, now it is up to Fen to decide what they shall become. Perhaps a pair of plump sheep, mayhap a rattle too for baby Cait?” Chris winked at Loki and Loki smiled, knowing all was right between them. He dropped into the rocking chair opposite, removing his boots and settling back to watch as Chris began to whittle one small piece, tossing the chips into the fire before them.  
Eidra, seeing Loki empty handed, placed a sleeping Cait in his lap, “Watch her while we fix the evening meal.”  
Loki nodded, gazed down at the peaceful face of his second daughter and sighed, “She sleeps so much. I can scarce wait until she starts to laugh and smile...,” He stroked her fingers, curled up into tiny fists and she let out a shuddering sigh, her lips working a dream nipple.  
He glanced up to see Chris smiling at him, “My son, you are a good father, let no one tell you different. You have heart, compassion. You need only know how to use such gifts. That you must find within yourself.”  
Loki was seized by a sudden desperation as he lifted Cait to his shoulder and held her, his nose to her soft head, breathing in her pure scent. “Then may I find it soon.”  
Chris returned his attention to the wood in his hand, “You will boy, you will.”


	32. 32

Brenna sat on the bleachers in the gymnasium, doing homework and watching Professor Logan teach his self defense class. She had asked to be excused from participating when she found blood staining the toilet paper that morning. Now she only wished she were back in bed with that wonderful invention Sophie had introduced her to, a heating pad. It helped every time. She was loathe to take any of the little white pills Chase called ibuprofen, worrying that it would make her sick just as some of the food had done in the beginning though she was starting to be able to tolerate more of it as time went on and her body adjusted to the additives.   
She heard the door to her left creak open, Logan's eyes shifted to the sound though he didn't stop talking to the class. Chase slid into the room, crept up the bleachers beside her and sat down. He had not met her for the morning meal that day and she was angry, not so much him, but at herself. After all she'd been on edge the evening before and she'd taken it out on him. Still she kept writing in her notebook, ignoring him as he cleared his throat, whispered, “Hey, sorry I didn't meet you for breakfast.”  
She peered at him out of the corner of her eye, “Whatever are you doing out of class?”  
Chase smiled, “You know what, don't ever change the way you talk, I love it.....Economics was canceled, Professor Adams is sick.”  
“Do not pick on my speech...”  
“I wasn't.” He hissed. All at once they realized Logan had stopped talking. They both looked up to see him staring at them.   
“Chase, if ya can't sit quiet, you're gonna leave.”  
“Yes sir.” Chase called out sinking further down on the bleacher.   
“I merely meant it was cute, like you.”   
Brenna's shoulders fell as she stopped writing, “I'm sorry about how rude I was last night.”  
“Hey don't be. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, right?” He sidled up to her, sliding his hand around her waist whereas she leaned into his shoulder. “I was a little ticked off myself. I'm tired of the fact that the only time my father calls me outside of holidays is to tear me a new asshole if I've done something wrong. He also wants me to come home for New Year's so I might have no choice. His invitations are usually in the form of a command.”  
“So we will not be able to watch the glass ball drop?” Brenna had been looking forward to watching the New Year's eve celebrations in New York City ever since Chase had told her about them. She pushed closer to him, her arm coming around his stomach.  
“Well maybe not together in the same room but you can take my laptop and we can watch it on webcam together. I'll show you how. I can't really tell him no. It's just how he is. You want to put up posters with me later?”  
“Yes, but I promised Sophie I'd come to her room and try on some dresses.”  
“So you can do that afterward. The posters won't take long, we'll tack them up before suppertime.”

 

  
Brenna put another piece of tape across the top of the dance poster, stood back, eyed it, readjusted it and taped it again, bent down to pick up the pile at her feet. As she whirled about to continue on to the next section of hallway, she nearly knocked Brian over. He had been creeping up behind her to scare her.  
“Whoa girl, you gonna roll me,” he put his hands out, catching her as she bounced off him.  
“Oh Brian, I am so sorry.” She held the posters to her chest while he picked up the tape from the floor.  
“It ain't nothin'. Posting bills for the homecoming dance huh?” he started to walk along with her.  
“Yes, me and Chase.”  
Brian looked around the hallway, “Where he at?”  
She indicated with a tilt of her head, “He's down the next hall. Do you need him?”  
“Naw I was just wandering around before supper.” he paused, “Uh, you seen Rachel round here?”  
“I confess I have not. Why? Are you planning on asking her to the dance?”  
Brian gave her a playful shove, “Naw I just wanna show her the newest upload of this video series we watch online.”  
Brenna tore another strip of tape as Brian obligingly held a poster to the wall.  
“So why do you not ask her to the dance. Do you not like her?”  
Brian looked away, scuffing his feet on the wooden floor, “Oh she fine and all, a real beauty but you know girls be friends with the funny guy, they date the hot guys.”  
Brenna took another poster as they moved around the corner to one of the stairwells, “You are a handsome man Brian. Whyever do you put yourself down so?”  
“Dunno,” he mumbled, “Just happens like that I guess.”  
“I believe a sense of humor is just as attractive. A man can be handsome with no personality and what is he then? Lovely to look at like a sculpture or a painting.”  
“Yeah but chicks dig Michaelangelo's David. I'm telling ya, a sense of humor puts you in the friend zone.”  
Brenna stopped, hand on her hip, “You fear rejection.”  
Brian held up a finger in protest but Brenna continued on, ignoring it, “You do, you are afraid that she will say no and so you do not try.”  
“Hey, I just don't wanna lose a friend is all. What if she tells me off and things get all funny like?”  
Brenna put up another poster, tore another strip of tape from the roll on her arm, “I find it hard to believe she would do such a thing.”   
But Brian shook his head, “Naw, I can't do it. I tried I swear I did. I gave all kindsa hints and she just didn't get it. I don't think she's interested in me.”  
Brenna sighed, “So be it,” And was about to expound on the ways to achieve the results he was looking for when Chase caught up to them and all hope of a serious conversation with him was lost. She would have to approach the problem from another angle.

She found Rachel sitting at one of the computers in the Tech lab writing a paper, her pretty little mouth drawn into a cupid's bow, her fingers tapping the desk. When she spied Brenna, she smiled, leaned back and stretched her arms high over her head, “Oh did you hear that crack? That was my neck,” she shivered, What's up?”  
Brenna had decided on the way that she wouldn't mince words and so she dove right in. “I must speak with you about Brian.”  
Rachel reddened, “Okay? What about him?”  
Brenna pulled a chair out and sat at the vacant computer station beside her, “I wish to help him. The homecoming dance is six days hence and he has no one to go with.”   
Rachel giggled then, “Oh so you need to find him a date?”  
Brenna shot her a perplexed look. “I suppose, but I...”  
“What about Kaitlin Grant?” Rachel interrupted her, ticking names off on her fingers as she said them, “She's a nice girl, psychic though, maybe not a good idea with him. How about Laurel Petty? She's nice, a pretty mean cook too. He likes food a lot....or..”  
“What about you?” Brenna replied, stopping her dead in her thoughts.   
“Me? I never thought about me.”  
All at once Brenna felt stupid, “Oh....alright then, who..”  
But Rachel sat back in her chair, seeming to stare through the screen before her, “Do you think he'd want to go with me? He's never asked me out before.”  
Brenna was aghast, “You cannot be serious. I see you two together all the time, at the dining hall, the library, the gymnasium, you are always laughing and making coy with him. To any outsider, you would look like a couple.”   
Rachel had wrinkled her nose, “Coy, what's coy?”  
Inwardly, Brenna was amused when people would ask her in turn what her words meant.  
“Bashful, shy, you know, batting your eyes, giggling?”  
“Oh you mean flirting. I guess I do that a little bit but doesn't everyone?”  
Once again though, it was Brenna's turn to be confused, “Flirting?”  
“Making suggestive comments, looking into someone's eyes a bit longer than you should, acting like a general fool. Anyways, so you think we look like a couple?”  
“Yes, I do. Why do you not hint about the homecoming dance to him?”  
Rachel pulled her phone from her pocket and looked at it, “Well he just texted me, what do I do? Should I ask him to the dance? What if he says no...”  
Brenna put a hand to her chest in surprise, “Is it not the custom here for the boy to ask permission to court the girl?”  
Rachel smiled, “Girls ask boys out all the time.....what should I do?”  
Brenna peered over her arm at the phone, “I do not know, I suppose it's up to you. Do you feel comfortable asking him?” She saw Rachel's hands were trembling.   
“I'm terrified, but you gotta take the bull by the horns sometimes. I'll tell him I have a question.”  
She tapped into the phone, “Can I ask you something?”  
His reply was quick, “Shoot girl, you can ask me anything you want.”  
Rachel squealed, dropping the phone down on the desk, wiping her palms on her jeans, they were starting to sweat. “What do I do, help Bren!”  
“Here,” Brenna picked up the phone, “You tell me what to say and I will type it. I might not be as quick as you though.”  
Rachel closed her eyes, hands together as if in prayer, “Okay, alright, um, I was wondering,” Brenna tapped away at the small keyboard somewhat slowly, “If you would like to go to the homecoming dance with me.”   
She waited for Brenna to finish and they sat staring at the message until Rachel covered her mouth with her fingers and said, “Hit the send button, quick before I freak.”  
Brenna did so and they sat for a few minutes, waiting, staring at the phone until Rachel sighed, “That's it then, I must have killed him.”

 

Chase took the phone from Brian, “Dude she asked you out!”  
“I know, I know, I can read. What the hell do I say?”  
Chase smiled. He'd never seen Brian so agitated in all the years he'd known him.  
“Well what do you want to do? I mean you wanna go out with her, right?”  
Brian was pacing the corridor back and forth, “Well yeah,”  
Chase thrust the phone back at him. “Well text her back!”  
Brian's finger hovered over the screen, “Man, I'm scared. I ain't had a serious girlfriend before. I dated and all but this is the big time.”  
Chase looked at the message again, “Well this is a date too. Ask her what she meant, are we talking date or dating?”

 

Brenna read the message to her.   
“Oh boy, now what?”   
Brenna handed the phone to her, “I do not know. What do you want to do?” Brenna curled a strand of hair around her finger, fidgeting, excited. “It's your choice.”  
With a glance at Brenna, Rachel started to type, “Let's go to the dance and see where it leads us from there.”

Chase listened to Brian, “Dude, we gots to find some threads. I gotta look fly!” He slapped Chase on the back, “Hot damn, I gots a date boy!”  
“So tell her then.” Chase pointed at the phone.

“I'm cool with that, looking forward to wearing the finest woman on my arm at homecoming, oh isn't he sweet? Now I've got to find a dress to wear.”  
“Damn, “ Brenna looked at the time on Rachel's cell. “I have to meet with Sophie.” She stood up.  
“Thanks so much for helping me, Bren, you're the best. Are you going to the dance with Chase?”  
Brenna nodded, “I am, I will see you at morning meal.”

Sophie was sitting at her desk, playing on her laptop, loud music blaring when Brenna walked in. Brenna tapped her on the shoulder.  
Sophie screamed, nearly tumbling from her chair while Brenna laughed, “Here I am.”  
“You ass, are you trying to give me a heart attack?!” Sophie tapped mute on her laptop, “Where were you?”  
Brenna sat down on the bed beside a stack of dresses Sophie had pulled from her closet, “I was helping Brian get a date for the dance.”  
“And did you succeed?” Sophie leaned back in her chair.  
“I did, he is going with Rachel.”  
Sophie giggled, “And if he pisses her off she can always give him a little juice.”   
Brenna was about to ask her what she meant until she remembered Rachel's mutation was the ability to manipulate electricity. Anything with an electrical charge, she could draw off its energy for her own use. Brenna smiled as she thought about Brian trying to get fresh with her and receiving a good zap for his trouble.  
“I thought those two were going together already.”  
Brenna put her hand out, “Now see, that is what I told her as well. They act like a couple.” She rifled through the pile of dresses beside her, picking out a green number, pulling it from beneath the stack, “Might we start with this one?”  
Sophie tucked her feet beneath her, “Be my guest, I'm just here to offer my opinion.”

For most of an hour, she tried on dress after dress, finally whittling her choices down to a long red satin halter and the green velvet and tulle shift she'd spied at the start. “I like the red dress.”  
Sophie nodded, “I thought that was the best one myself. I have shoes to match, what size do you wear?”   
She picked up the brown flats Brenna had been wearing. “Whoa, Bigfoot! Size tens. You're not going to squeeze them into my size sevens. We'll ask around, there has to be another red pair of shoes somewhere in this school.”  
Brenna held the dress before her again, “I cannot wait.”  
Sophie was hanging the remaining dresses back on the rack in her wardrobe. “This is going to be your first dance, isn't it.”  
Brenna smoothed the red satin bodice with the flat of her hand, “It is indeed.”  
Sophie smiled, “Oh you're in for a treat.”


	33. 33

“Invisible”: Mental Illness and the Search for the Cure” David mouthed the title of the book in his hand. He sat on the edge of the bed in his hotel suite studying the dust jacket photo of himself on the back cover.  
He had wrestled with the title for months. Had, in fact, nearly finished the second edit when, one night, in his study, he had been reading through a chapter. The television hung on the wall over the fireplace had been tuned to a retro channel, turned down low for background noise. He couldn't even recall the show. He was pretty sure it was a seventies serial like “Marcus Welby” but he'd not taken the time to make sure, so excited was he when the dialogue he was listening to sparked something within his mind.   
He could, however, recall the few short sentences being spoken, backed by an antiquated score.  
“To fix a broken bone, repair a damaged heart is so much easier than trying to repair a broken mind. A break you can set, a torn artery you can suture together, but mental illness? How can you fix something you can't see? Cure something that's invisible, intangible?”  
Fortune had truly smiled upon him. He had scribbled the title on a piece of memo paper. Within a month, the manuscript was at the publisher's. A year later, it was number three on the New York Times Best selling non-fiction list and he was being interviewed by magazines like “Scientific American” and the “JAMA”, that one had been an honor. It was one thing to be recognized by your peers, quite another to have the Journal of the American Medical Association cast its eye on you. Next month, he was even slated to be a guest on the daytime TV show, “The Doctors”.  
He felt wonderful, successful, stretched thin. He almost regretted scheduling a book signing in the same week as the convention.....almost. However, he was in Washington for five days. Four hours in a Barnes and Noble's wouldn't break him.  
The knock on the hotel door broke his reverie. He leaned back and stared into the main room through the bedroom doorway. “Who is it?”  
“It's me,” came the muffled reply, “Can I come in?”  
It was Victor Luntz, the current convention coordinator. They were old college friends. He had graduated with honors and was now Chief of Surgery at one of the largest hospitals in D.C.  
“Not unless you have that blonde with the big tits on your arm and a bottle of Jack Daniels in your hand.”  
Vic chuckled at the old greeting, “The bottle's on order and the blonde couldn't make it, she had to do her nails.”  
David laughed. Time had not erased the traces of his accent, if anything, it seemed to have gotten a little stronger and David wondered if he'd returned to London for any length of time. He would have to ask him later. “Hold on, let me get the door.”  
Victor took him in a wide embrace as soon as the door was opened, clapping him on the back.  
“You don't get to this neck of the woods much anymore,” Vic held him at arms length and David had to sigh. Victor was dressed like the old college professors they used to complain about. Tweed jacket complete with elbow patches, dark grey button up shirt, blue jeans and brown loafers.  
“You haven't changed in twenty years.” David stood back as Vic walked into the room and shut the door behind him, “I mean literally.”  
Victor's hair had grayed a bit more than his. He sported a small mustache and his gold rimmed glasses were now bifocals but his blue eyes still held that spark of youth.  
“You on the other hand, a best-selling book, interviews, TV spots? And I thought being named Director of Forest Hills was prestigious enough.”   
David walked into the kitchenette and opened a cupboard beneath the bar that faced the living area of the suite, producing a bottle of vodka. “Care for a shot?”  
Vic shook his head, “Got any beer?”  
David rolled his eyes, “Can take the boy out of the frat but can't take the frat out of the boy.”  
He bent down again, opening the small fridge beneath the counter behind him, grabbed a bottle from the twelve pack on the bottom shelf, turned and slid it to Vic.  
“I knew you'd be asking so I told them to keep me well stocked,” There was a pop followed by the hiss of the cap being twisted off as he rooted in the fridge for ice cubes, dropping them into the glass in his hand.  
“How are things at home?”  
Vic took a swallow of his beer, “The same. Jen is away at college studying to become a nurse so the house is a vast echoing empty space. No more loud music, crazy boyfriend, late night snack raids,” David regarded Vic. He doubted the man had ever had a late night snack in his life, he'd always been rail thin and that too had not changed,   
“Lonely huh?” David took a sip of the vodka.  
“Desperately. But I have company when I need it, trust me,” He glanced around the suite, “By the way, Penelope is getting remarried.”  
Penelope was Vic's ex-wife. They had married just out of his second year at college and were divorced fifteen years later. Twice what he and Annie had lasted.  
“A pity. Did she invite you?” he waved Vic over to the couches by the large windows overlooking the city.  
“Believe it or not, she did, though I can't understand why,” He took another swig of his beer, “And she invited Jen as well. Such poor taste, you ask me.”  
“Ah but there's a method to her madness, she wants to make you look the fool, wants you to see what she thinks you've lost, and she wants your daughter to feel the same way about you. She wants Jen to see Mommy happy in love with another man and think to herself, that's what Daddy couldn't do, make Mommy happy. Stay away from it, that's my advice.”  
“Ha!” Vic cried, “I wasn't even considering it. What about you? Annie still on permanent vacation?”  
“St. Croix, and Chase is still at that school.”  
Vic averted his eyes, gazing out at the Washington skyline instead. The silence following the remark hung heavy in the room. David knew Victor was reluctant to respond, knew it bothered David to have his son grouped in with the mutant population. All at once, Victor clapped his hands together and pointed at him,“You'll never guess who's attending the convention this year? He's doing a seminar, it's called “Homeopathy, the Natural Solution.”  
David looked at Vic curiously, “Sounds a bit dry. Who?”  
“Our old college professor, Martin Rutledge?” Vic laughed, “He was on the list to appear last year but he fell ill so I made him promise to appear this year.”  
David nodded, “He was quite taken with me.”  
Vic stood from the couch to stare out the large windows, “Of course, the whole staff was taken with the child prodigy.”  
The sky had darkened to a velvety blue. Lights all over the city were beginning to wink on. Far in the distance he could see the gleaming white cupola of the Capital building, before that, the obelisk that was the Washington monument, “When I told Martin the success you were having, he seemed quite pleased. You two should have a lot to catch up on.”  
David rattled the ice in his glass, “Is he in town yet?”  
Vic scanned the sky, “No, he should be flying in from Heathrow late tonight. He's booked here in this same hotel, third floor I believe.”  
David joined Vic at the window. “I'll look him up tomorrow afternoon. Don't want to be too early, as old as he is, jet lag has got to be a killer.”  
“When is that book signing scheduled for?” Vic could see the reflection of the book lying on the wet bar behind them.  
“Oh, Friday afternoon after the seminar on Autism Spectrum disorders. You going to attend or should I sign one for you now?”  
Vic turned and strolled over to the wet bar, picking up the book, “Why don't you sign it for me now. A coordinator's work is never done and next weekend will be the busiest for me. I doubt I'll be able to get away.”  
David walked to the bar, slipped a pen from his inside jacket pocket and opened the front cover. “To Victor, next time remember to bring the bottle and the blonde, in that order, David Wells.”  
Vic set the empty beer bottle down and read the inscription with a smile, “Careful, Dave, you'll end up with a reputation.”  
David drained the last of his drink, “No worse than the one I've already got.”  
Vic snapped the book shut, tucking it under his arm, “Well, my friend, we'll have more time to catch up later. I have to meet with a couple of the caterers about the brunch tomorrow morning. See you there?”  
David nodded as Vic reached out and shook his hand, “Good evening, Vic.”  
“Same to you, Dave.”

After Victor left, the door closing with a solid click, David returned to the windows to watch the nightlife ebb and flow along the streets below.   
Professor Rutledge had been impressed with David from the moment he met him. He had tutored him on the rare times when David struggled with Biochemistry, assisted him, advised him. The Professor had even covered for him numerous times when he would sneak off campus for a little trouble making, throwing campus security off the trail when eighteen year old David returned to the campus, drunk, barely able to walk. He had allowed David to stay at his small house off the college grounds to sleep it off. That had been a night David would not soon forget.   
He had awakened in the middle of the night, hanging half off the large sofa in the den that Martin had guided him to. Picking himself up off the floor, he had searched the house for a bathroom to use. His bladder felt full to bursting and he considered looking for Martin to point him in the right direction. In the end he was glad he'd not bothered. What he found in his search almost made him forget how uncomfortable he was.  
There came a soft light from beneath a partially opened arched door at the end of one hall. Hoping that this was the bathroom, he tiptoed down the carpeted corridor until he could peer around the corner.  
What met his eyes was not a toilet and a tub but a table filled with candles and books, a half drunk bottle of wine, and his professor sitting in the only chair, back to him, head on his arms, sound asleep. After a moments hesitation, curiosity got the best of him. David entered the room and began to look at the hundreds of bottles that were lining the shelves which covered the walls. He kept one ear open to the professor's soft snoring as he swung to the table and started to look at the books stacked there, one by one reading the titles where he could.  
There were books on necromancy, one called the Treatise of Solomon, others whose titles he couldn't understand, another with what looked like a pentagram on the cover though he could be sure. Combined with the bottles of elixirs, packets of herbs like vervain, belladonna, arsenic, and antimony, stub candles of every color and stones of all shapes and sizes, David was positive he'd stumbled on to Martin's side hobby. He'd been about to slip out the door to fetch his shoes and stumble back to campus when Martin had awakened in a panic.  
He'd apologized profusely, saying he should have shut the door, shown him where the facilities were. When David accused him of practicing black magic, a claim that even today made him laugh to himself, Martin had begged him to listen. He was not, he'd allowed, necessarily a practitioner of the black arts, he was from another world. When David had asked him if he was an alien, Martin had laughed aloud.   
“I didn't say another planet, you think too one-dimensionally.”and told him that he was a light elf, from Alfheim. David had never heard that term before nor had he since, he had, however, heard of an elf. He told Martin that he didn't look like any elf David had ever seen in any pictures.   
“Fairy tales, my boy. You've not seen an actual light elf until now.” Martin had chided him. He considered going to the Dean about Martin. He was sure the old professor was starting to lose his mind and no matter how much he liked him, it wasn't safe for him to be teaching students in such a state. What Martin then showed him, however, gave him cause to believe everything Martin said and more and from that day on, Martin helped him every chance he got in exchange for his silence.  
David yawned, he was tired. He'd been up since five that morning. He put his now empty glass into the sink in the kitchenette, shut off the lights and headed into the bedroom. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.....

 

…...Perhaps the longest day of her life in fact. She was so nervous, thankful too that they had no classes today, it being Saturday. She had picked up the newest edition of “NewsWeek” read the headlines on the cover, “The Attack on New York: A Look Back and a Look Ahead.” and tossed it in her book bag promising herself she would do her current event homework on the morrow. She would never be able to concentrate on anything in her state.  
Chase laughed at her giddy excitement when she couldn't stop tripping over her words at the breakfast table. Brian sat back in the chair watching the three of them, Brenna, Rachel and Sophie, heads together, giggling and whispering.  
“I don't know what all is the big deal. It a dance. You'd think they gonna get married.” Brian muttered to Chase.   
“Hey it's a big deal to Brenna, this is her first dance.”  
Brenna looked at her fingers, “You will help me color my nails?”  
Sophie took her hands and examined them, “Yeah, you could use a cuticle treatment too. We'll go to my room after breakfast. I've got plenty of colors, you need red to go with your dress, and I'll do your makeup too. Rachel, you were looking for pink polish, right? I sorted them out for you to choose from.” Sohpie clapped her hands, “I can't wait, just cannot wait!”  
“Damn, it's still morning, they got all day for this,” Brian grabbed his tray and nudged Chase, “Watch this.”  
He stood up, inched away from the table. Farther, then a bit farther again while the girls continued to talk. Brian eyed Chase who did likewise until they were both standing on the far side of the room with their trays at the conveyor belt.  
“See? They don't even know we gone. Come on, let's get outta here. We'll catch up with them later.”  
Chase shook his head, glanced back at the girls and followed Brian out of the dining hall.

Brenna wrinkled her nose at the sharp smell of the polish. “It smells beastly. It rather reminds me of being in Clotho's quarters while he would be mixing some sort of potion or other medicine for me to deliver.”  
“Who's Clotho?” Sophie asked in between blowing on Brenna's nails.  
“He is the palace physician. I used to visit him all the time when I lived with Helgi.”  
“I just can't believe you lived in a palace. Why would you want to come here instead?” Rachel asked, she was lying stomach down on the bed, flipping through a magazine, waiting her turn.  
“I was living in a small town in the country when I left. I hadn't lived in the palace in years. This is far more interesting than the palace in any case. Midgard is unlike anything I have ever seen.”  
Sophie let go of her hands, “All finished, but try not to do too much for a bit longer, let them cure,” She waved to Rachel, “Come on, your turn.”  
Rachel switched places with Brenna, “Are you going home for Christmas?”  
Brenna tilted her head, “What is Christmas?”  
Sophie and Rachel both looked up at her, “Really? Presents, big decorated tree, TV specials, snow? Don't sound familiar to you? Well besides the TV anyway,”   
“ Do you mean Jul?”  
“I think the English call it yuletide, so yeah.”  
“Uncle Chris calls it so. It is the winter solstice, the celebration lasts eleven days. Father says it is the time when the dead walk the earth.”  
Rachel turned to peer up at Brenna, “You're talking about Halloween. It's at the end of this month and its a lot of fun. People dress up in costumes and collect candy from houses by saying trick or treat. You'll have to go with us this year. We can only go as a group to the nearest town with our chaperones. It's safer that way.”  
“No, I am certain Jul is at the beginning of winter. We have the Wild hunt. My father goes hunting with Uncle Chris. We cut a large log and burn it in the hearth so that the harvest the following year will be fruitful. We sing songs, dance, have a great feast. There is a communal bowl we gather at to drink from and pour libations on our fields, fruit trees...,”  
“Sounds like a regular bacchanalia..,” Sophie whistled.  
Brenna tapped her chin, “It is quite festive if this is what you mean...but of this Halloween you speak. Winternights is soon approaching. We remember our ancestors then...”  
“Well it sorta ties in, your ancestors are dead right? Dead is scary...where were we heading with this again?” Sophie was shaking a bottle of nail polish.  
“If I was staying at the school for Jul.”  
“Well are you?”  
Brenna nodded, “I will not return home. I will remain at the school for the holidays. I fear that if I did, my father would not allow me to return and I still have much to learn here at school.”  
Rachel watched Sophie paint Brenna's nails, “Will you ever go home again?”  
Brenna thought of her mother, Fen, Cait, Helgi and Ren, Uncle Chris and Aunt Sally, “Yes, I must. I miss my family so. I even miss the farm, strange as it may seem.”  
Rachel shrugged, “Not really, I miss the times I used to spend at my Uncle Tom's farm when I was a kid. We used to love to help around the farm during the summer.”  
“Try doing it every day for the rest of your life. You might change your mind.”  
Sophie looked up at her, “Are you going to stay here for good? Maybe you'll graduate and they'll recruit you for the team. It's not unheard of. Kitty, Miss Munroe, even Nala were all students here first before they became part of the team. Wouldn't that be so cool?”  
Brenna frowned, “Of which team do you speak?”  
Sophie's mouth dropped open as she capped the bottle of nail polish in her hand, “The team our former Dean Professor Xavier formed? The X-men?”  
Brenna nodded, “Oh, oh the story at the beginning of the student handbook.” Rachel and Sophie smiled in tandem.  
“But I would not presume ever to be included in such an elite group. My skills are minimal.”  
“Minimal?” Sophie cried, “You can heal and un-heal people, objects. If you can learn to do that fast enough, you could be a big help in a fight. Blow on your nails so they'll dry faster.”  
“Perish the thought,” Brenna said between breaths, “I could never imagine myself in such a situation.”  
Sophie shook her head, “Never say never.”

By four that afternoon, the three of them had rushed to the dining hall, wolfed their dinner down and raced back to their respective rooms to shower, agreeing to meet back at Sophie's room by five-thirty with their dresses. Brenna had arrived early but had to run back to her room as she'd forgotten her shoes.   
They now sat on Sophie's bed, looking through her jewelry box. Brenna was struck dumb by the lot which glittered with diamonds, rubies, emeralds in all sorts of earrings, necklaces and bangles. “You have a ton of costume jewelry, Sophie.” Rachel murmured.   
Sophie reached over and drew out a ruby and gold necklace, “Somewhere in that box there's a pair of earrings that go with this. That would be so stunning,” She set it to the side on her bed, “Yeah, I get my sister's old jewelry when she gets tired of it. She gets new stuff all the time because she's always going out with her fiance to these parties for his job. They live in the city.”  
Rachel held up a pair of diamond earrings, “What a pity they're not real.”  
“I know,” Sophie piped up.  
“Not real?” Brenna held up the necklace in her hand and Sophie giggled.  
“Oh I wish. They're just rhinestones, cubic zirconias, man-made rubies and emeralds. I have a pair of real diamond earrings and a pearl necklace in my hope chest but other than that, nope, all fakes.”  
“Amazing.” Brenna gasped, “They are beautifully made.”  
“Okay they're good fakes, then. Ah here are the earrings.” She held them up to Brenna's ear and smiled though it quickly faded, “You're kidding, your ears aren't pierced? Don't it figure?”  
“Pierced?” Brenna put a hand to her earlobe.  
“Yeah like mine,” And Rachel leaned over, showing her the earrings poking through her earlobe.  
Brenna put her hand at her other earlobe, “Goodness no!”  
“Well there's no time to fix that now, you'll just have to settle for the necklace, come on, lets get into the bathroom so we can get you made up. We want Chase's eyes to pop out of his head when he sees you, tonight.”

It was nearing six-thirty when at last, they all stood in front of the full length mirror hanging on the back of Sophie's bathroom door, turning this way and that to admire their reflections. “We look so good, Brenna, Chase is going to fall at your feet, trust me.”   
When Sophie had finished with the makeup, Brenna was surprised at the transformation. She looked much older than her fifteen seasons. She felt older as well but most of all, she felt pretty.  
Rachel turned and grabbed her handbag when she heard her phone beep, “It's Brian, they're outside the gymnasium waiting for us. Are we ready to go?” Sophie picked up her little purse and slung it over her shoulder, checking for her phone, room keys, lipstick. “I'm ready, how about you Brenna? You ready for the most fun you can have with your clothes on?”  
Brenna laughed, “What does that mean?”  
Rachel and Sophie rolled their eyes, “You'll find out eventually. Let's go, the boys are waiting.”


	34. 34

Brian, Chase and Dylan were leaning against the wall talking, watching other couples file into the gymnasium.   
“Girls always be late,” Brian shook his head. “Where are they?”  
Chase scanned the crowd for the hundredth time and was finally rewarded for his perseverance. “Hey, here they come.”  
As they got closer, Chase muttered, “Holy shit, would you look at Brenna.”   
He held out his hand and she took it in hers as he looked her over. “Bren, baby, you are a goddess.”  
Brenna flushed pink, “Chase, you are a shameless flatterer.” though she was touched at his compliment, “I must say, you look quite distinguished. I love your suit.”   
Chase grimaced at the mention. Miss Munroe had insisted that all the guys dress semi formal for the first dance of the season at least and suits were acceptable but he was taking off the jacket and loosening the collar as soon as possible.  
“You wanna go inside?” Dylan had his arm linked into Sophie's.  
“Sure, go on.” Chase waved at him, “We're right behind you.” He put out his arm and Brenna grasped it tightly. He could feel her trembling slightly, “Hey, you're doing great, what's wrong?”  
“I have never been to a dance. I am nervous.”  
“What for? You know a lot of the students here now.”  
As her schooling had continued, she had been placed in a couple of mainstream classrooms, taking English and Math along with everyone else, though she still went to Mr. Wagner's class twice a week with her current events and culture studies but a classroom was a universe away from a dance. Large social situations continued to unnerve her.  
“It is still something new for me. Do not leave me alone, okay?”  
Chase patted her hand as they walked into the gym, “Not a chance.”

At first, Brenna stayed on the bleachers, her dress smoothed over her knees, her feet tapping to the music but not willing to commit themselves to the dance floor until finally, Rachel and Sophie convinced her to get up.  
“But I do not know how to dance, at least not like you do...” She moaned as Sophie took her arms rocking her back and forth to the beat of the music.  
“Just follow my lead,” Sophie started to move about. Brenna was given over to giggles.  
“Come on, try it.” Rachel pushed her farther onto the dance floor.   
Brenna sighed, looked at Chase who was smiling from the sidelines, “Very well, I suppose I must make a fool of myself as well.”  
She started to imitate Sophie's moves and with a few adjustments, was soon giving a passing effort.  
“Pretty good, Bren.” Chase called out but his compliment was lost in the loud music, “Pretty darn good,” he finished to himself.

 

“Ya know, no one would suspect you weren't born and raised here if they didn't actually start talking to you.”  
Brenna was tucked under Chase's arm. They had retired to the bleachers, halfway up, in the semi-darkness, to rest.She'd been admiring the decorating job they had done the night before in the gym, but at his remark, she sat up.   
“Am I that obvious?”  
Chase put his hand on her leg, “Let me put it differently. You sound like you attended prep school before you came here and since that's going to make zero sense, forget I said it,” He made to pull her back to him again but she gently shrugged him off.   
“Do I not fit in yet?”  
“You do, sweetheart,” he was rubbing her arm now, “People like you, they talk to you, they include you.”  
“But I am still different.” Brenna kicked at the bleacher bench before her.  
“No, no you're not. Not here,” He waved his hand at the crowd below, “The first middle school I went to was a prep school and I was bullied mercilessly. It was like a constant college hazing until they found out what I was, then they simply ostracized me, called me a freak until I begged my dad to take me out of school and find somewhere else for me to go. The idea of a tutor was thrown around. Of course that meant I would have been home, underfoot and parenting isn't his style. Then he heard about this school from a friend and put me here,” Chase pulled her towards him again and this time she didn't resist, “Here we may still be freaks, but here, we're freaks united.”  
“Chase, that is terrible. Do not call us freaks.”  
“Okay, mutants then, but you're missing the point. What I'm saying is that it don't matter if you're different. Here, that's the norm.” Chase paused to let his words sink in.  
“So it is okay to be different?”  
Chase smiled as Brenna leaned back against him, “Now you're getting it.”  
“This is what trips me up so often here on Midgard. Being able to speak the language is one thing but there are the subtleties of dialect and slang that I have yet to master. Frankly, it exhausts me sometimes.” She saw Sophie looking up the bleachers at her and she waved. Sophie wagged her finger at them and smiled.  
“For example, tonight before we headed to meet you, Sophie said this dance was going to be the most fun you could have with your clothes on. I have been turning that phrase over in my head all evening and I am still no closer to kenning it.”  
Chase chuckled as he stroked her hair. “Okay lets work this a different way. There are plenty of fun things you can do with your clothes on right? And a limited number once your clothes are off, unless you live in a nudist colony but since we don't, let's throw that out. Okay so what can you do naked that you can't with your clothes on?”  
Brenna giggled at this, “Swim?”  
“And?”  
“Bathe?”  
“Keep going.”  
Brenna seemed stumped, her thoughts ranging wide until they hinged on one last thing and her eyes widened. “Oh my! Is that what she meant?” her voice dropped to a whisper, “Sex?”   
“There now say the phrase back to yourself and insert that answer at the end.”  
She found that she couldn't look at Chase as the meaning of it all began to sink in, pointing so directly to him. She put her head on his chest, could hear his heart pounding in unison with hers.   
“So tell me,” he murmured, “..was Sophie right?”  
She felt his hand at her chin as he lifted her face to his,“I have no basis for comparison..” and her words were halted by his lips against hers. She reached her arms up to encircle his neck, wishing for more darkness, more privacy but all at once, the DJ was on the loudspeaker.   
“Okay everyone, this is what we've all been waiting for. Let's get everyone down on the dance floor. Leave an aisle up the middle.” Brenna sat back, staring at Chase who stood up and offered his hand to her.   
“Come on, they're choosing the court for Homecoming.” Brenna took his hand as they descended the bleachers. “It's all a popularity concert you ask me but what the hell.”  
As they reached the crowd, they were joined by Brian and Rachel, hands interlaced, smiling. Brian chuckled when Chase winked at him.   
“Are we ready?” The DJ piped up again and the crowd cheered, a deafening roar that reverberated off the gym walls as one by one, the names of the attendants were read. They filed to the end of the gym where the thrones and attendants chairs were set up. Brenna had been delighted with them, recalling in her mind, the few times she had see the throne room in Asgard when she was little, Odin and Frigga sitting on their own grand carved thrones. She had admired and feared them all at once.  
So lost was she in her recollection that Chase had to shake her, “Come on, Bren. They called our names!”  
Brenna stood blinking until Chase led her to the middle of the gym, where she was handed a small bouquet of sweetheart roses by a court helper and suddenly she was walking up the aisle to the seats two spaces down from the throne. As she passed, she could see Sophie cheering and clapping for her just as the other students were. Chase guided her to one of the chairs, sitting her down and walking behind her to stand as the rest of the names were called. When the court was assembled, all the couples stood in unison to be presented to the school. Chase had to take her arm, her feet felt unsteady as the roar of the students grew even louder. When the music started up again, Chase led her out to the dance floor with the rest of the court for the final slow dance of the night.  
He wrapped his arm around her waist, took her other hand and leaned in. “Baby, you okay?”  
She couldn't stop smiling then, “I am more than okay, I am fantastic,” she whispered in his ear, pressing close to him. People kept approaching them, congratulating them. Grace, who had volunteered that morning to chaperone on her return from vacation, patted Brenna on the back. “It's more fun to behave isn't it?”  
Brenna nodded. She lay her head then on Chase's shoulder and let him lead her along to the music until all too soon, it was over and Sophie and Rachel were bounding over to them, hugging her. “And you worried about fitting in.” Rachel teased her and she laughed. She had done more than just fit in, she had become one of them.

 

He dropped the handle on his suitcase, his other hand frantically searching the pockets of his great coat, inner vest, his slacks for the urgent ringing that was his cell, finally catching hold of it in his right hand pocket.  
“Hello...Hello?” he closed his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose, “Anna.....yes, I am here......safe and sound.”  
He looked about the hotel room, walked to the window. The lights of the city shone in a rainbow of colors across the horizon. “I would've called but I've only just arrived at my hotel room......” he gazed upward at the sky. “Crystal clear........the flight was uneventful.....”   
Martin dropped onto the bed, “I know.....I promised we'd watch the meteor shower together, but that was last year. I didn't know about the convention then. I couldn't just back out again............you take the telescope and watch it. Then you can tell me how beautiful it was...........there's always next year.....”   
As if on cue, a bright streak crossed the sky and he sighed, deigning to mention it. Truth be told, he wouldn't have cared if they'd been at home in thick cloud cover, lounging on the settee watching bad telly so long as he wasn't here alone in the states in the same building as Wells. The same hemisphere was even a bit too close for all of him.  
“My dear, I shall bring you a souvenir.........” he chuckled at her request, “A plane ticket? Clever girl......but who would run my household with such efficiency?” He shrugged off his great coat, stood from the bed, looking about the room for the closet, finding it by the door he'd come in.   
“Tell you what........when I return, give me a week to rest and we'll go on holiday to Venice. You love those little shops along the Piazza del Campo.........I promise....and if I break my promise, may I be strapped into my easy chair and be made to watch reality TV until my eyes bleed....” He laughed along with her, “Now don't forget to feed the fish and put Pierre out at night, not the other way around....” He teased, “Yes.....I'll call you tomorrow.......I know, it's quiet here too.......take the car and go see your sister for a few days if you like.......,” He sighed then as he sat back down on the bed to wrestle his shoes from his feet, “Of course I love you........whatever made you ask such a question?................next time around, you will come with me........now, it's late there, I know that, go to bed.......yes.........goodnight, luv.”  
Martin dropped the phone on the bed beside him left again to wonder why a young, (well thirty five was young to him in any case), why a young pretty girl would cleave so to a middle aged retired professor. He supposed it was familiarity. He was all she'd known being her first job as housekeeper for him when she was but twenty-two. Caring for him and the house day in and day out for the last thirteen years. One got used to being together, comfortable, though now it was so much more than that. He needed her as much as she needed him. Not so much for the housekeeping, that was for sure. Oh she was clean on herself, the house was well kept but she could be a bit addled sometimes. The jibe about the fish and the cat had only been half teasing. She could be trusted, too, with keeping his secrets, had done so on more than one occasion. He had offered many times to take her to Alfheim but she always refused, whether from fear or apathy he couldn't be sure, claiming she was quite content where she was.  
He picked himself up from the bed, grabbed the remote for the TV from its place atop the dresser slash table. Might as well look for anything good to watch, if indeed there were such an animal here in the states. It would be of no use to sit and think of her, wishing he were there or vice versa. In any case, he preferred to keep his private life separate from his work. She was an innocent and he would do what he could to keep her as such.   
He wondered if Luntz had told Wells he would be attending the convention. He thought it over, sure Wells would already know, not that he could see, in any possible way, what Wells would need from him now.  
When David Wells had accidentally wandered into Martin's private study on that night so long ago, and Martin had been made to tell the truth of what he was, David had asked, no, demanded his help with grades. Martin thought it laughable at first, the boy had a genius I.Q, was in his third year, working on a Doctorate. But as time wore on, he realized the help was not meant for David. It was meant for other students, his friends. Some of them from very powerful, very influential families, others to whom he owed favors, still others who would subsequently owe favors to him. Luntz was one such person.  
Luntz was a superb mathematician, a crack science student, but couldn't write a term paper to save his life. Martin suggested his constant partying and ensuing hangovers contributed greatly to his inability to put the words he so eloquently spoke, onto paper. In actuality, Luntz didn't need all that much help. He was one of the smarter, albeit, lazy students. Others wouldn't have had a prayer without Martin's help and David soon skyrocketed from unknown prodigy to the Alpha male on campus, graduating with honors and a PhD under his belt.   
Martin had been at the graduation ceremony to applaud his accomplishments but also to see with his own two eyes that David Wells was truly on his way into the world and off campus. He would liked to have said that his association with the upwardly mobile blackmailer ended there but every once in a while, there would be a phone call and he would end up helping another student whose father was having a hard time buying his way to a degree.   
Martin had cried with relief at his own retirement party. Countless times during his career, he had considered returning to Alfheim solely because of David Wells.   
He wondered if it was possible to avoid David during his stay. His presentation was Wednesday night. Perhaps he would change tickets, fly out that night after the program instead of waiting until Friday, surprise Anna with an early return.  
By the time he forced himself to bed, it was almost one in the morning. The jet lag had turned him all around. He exchanged his old suit for a pair of flannel pajamas, set the alarm on his cell phone and slid beneath the covers of the double bed, turning towards the window. He lay looking up at the sky again, watching for more meteors, hoping Anna was doing the same thing an ocean away.

 

Brenna rolled over, peering through slitted eyes at the clock on her stand. It was almost nine a.m. She had missed morning meal. She flopped onto her stomach, looked at the red dress hanging on the back of her bathroom door and smiled, stretched. She felt a little sore, she'd done a lot of dancing, informing everyone at the end of the night that she was going to lounge around and do homework the next day but why hurry? She leaned out, reaching as far as she could without physically touching her feet to the floor and snagged the strap of her backpack with her forefinger, dragging it upward to drop beside her on the bed where she spread her books and papers on the coverlet beside her.  
Instead of starting right in though, she took a pencil and studied it. She had been thinking of what Sophie said. What if she could get faster at healing things? Would she be able to earn a place on the elite X team? She laughed to herself, her father would likely tie her up and drag her back to Asgard if she so much as hinted at it. Perhaps if she were to become a nurse, or a doctor?  
She snapped the pencil in half, lay it on the covers, sat up and took a deep breath blowing it out slowly. She closed her eyes, concentrating upon the two halves of the pencil. She took it in her hands, put the pieces together and began to visualize them combining, the graphite melding, the splinters of wood interweaving, the paint flowing across the surface until the pencil was whole again. When she looked at the clock, she frowned. She'd forgotten to note the time. She snapped the pencil again, glanced at the clock and proceeded as before. When she finished, she noticed the time. The whole process had taken least a minute. She sighed, broke the pencil, and started over again.   
After nearly an hour, she was exhausted. She felt a bit warm so she got up, cracked the window that looked out over the rear lawn and returned to her bed. She had managed, with forty tries at last count, to shave nearly twenty-five seconds off her time. Each time she would see the break, it was as if she was storing the information to increase her efficiency for the next attempt. The more familiar the object became, the easier and faster she could memorizing its structure and repair it.   
It made sense. She had repaired a broken pocket watch for a student. That had taken a lot of effort and time, almost five minutes if she recalled. The workings of the timepiece had been so complex, unfamiliar. She would have to try again on an unfamiliar object, perhaps force herself to remember quicker but how? She lay back on her pillow staring at the pencil only to be jolted awake by the sound of footsteps running past her door. She looked at the clock and realized she'd fallen back asleep for two hours. She still felt sore. After she did her homework, she would take a shower and find Chase for the evening meal.  
She pulled out her math homework first, taking only fifteen minutes to complete it. Then she lifted the Newsweek magazine from the pile with a grimace.  
“As Kurt says, soonest begun is soonest done.” She opened the magazine up to the table of contents, noted the page number of the cover story and turned to it.

 

The Attack on New York: Looking Back, Looking Forward.

 

We've all heard the phrase, “Where were you on...”. My great grandfather would have filled in the blank with the attack on Pearl Harbor. Move a little forward and his son, my grandfather, would have said The day Kennedy was shot. A little farther and my father would answer 9/11. Now we have a new answer to that question.   
Though it's been over 13 years since the day the sky opened over Manhattan and showed us Hell isn't below us, we still remember that day like it was yesterday. We still recall the horror. The heroes who, at the risk of sounding too cliché, saved the world. The thousands of people who died in the initial attack. The devastation that crippled half of the city's infrastructure for three years and cost billions of dollars in damages, losses, and lawsuits. We ask ourselves what we could have done to prevent it, tempted to point fingers at the root of the cause even though it became the solution in the end..

She turned the page then and nearly dropped the magazine. Along the top of the next two pages were head shots of six people superimposed over an aerial image of Manhattan laid waste. Tony Stark stared at her out of one photo, the other four people she did not know, but the fifth photo contained her uncle, Thor whose picture was bordered in red with a caption that made her stomach twist into a knot.

Thor Odinson: The Avenger who brought to life those dusty old books on mythology sitting on the library shelves was one of the reasons for the attack which was orchestrated by his adopted brother and a nightmare in his own right, Loki.

She turned the page with trembling hands, all at once hurling the magazine to the floor beside her bed where it lay open, taunting her with a grainy but distinct image of her father in a three piece suit holding a man down atop a massive table, blurry people running past him, their mouths open in silent scream.  
She scrambled from the bed, her homework forgotten, scattered about the floor as she rooted frantically in her wardrobe for clothes to wear, throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before kicking the magazine shut with her toe, lifting it as if it were diseased. She rolled it into a tube then and slipping on her flats, she ran from her quarters down the hall, heading for the computer lab.

She typed, “Attack on New York”, into the search bar and hit enter. Thousands of hits appeared. She clicked on images at the top of the page, sat there, hands to her mouth. Pictures of buildings nearly flattened, emergency vehicles responding, the road into Grand Central terminal where she'd first arrived on Midgard strewn with cars and rubble, still more pictures of the hole in the sky centered over a tower with the name of Stark on its side, immense alien creatures flying through the sky dwarfing the buildings around them. She closed her eyes, opened them again. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, her heart racing. Finally she clenched her teeth, added a word to the search, “Loki” and hit enter.  
The images that sprang up were worse than anything she had imagined. She had prayed, hoped that the magazine's portrayal of him as the cause was meant indirectly and yet here he was, though the angle of the photo was from someone who was clearly on the ground below him. There was another picture, distant, taken from the window of a skyscraper of her father at the end of a ramp jutting out from the top of a building, the massive word below him spelled out in enormous red letters, STARK.   
Suddenly it was starting to make sense. Horrible, heart-breaking sense. She shoved away from the table, leaping to her feet in a panic unable to decide where to go, what to do. She wanted to learn more and yet she was terrified. Only one solution remained in her mind, one person that might be able to explain what had happened, Tony Stark.


	35. 35

“Stark Industries, how may I help you?” came the pleasant male voice over the phone. Brenna glanced about the deserted computer lab room.   
“I need to speak with Mister Stark, please,” She stared at the screen, relieved she'd picked the right number, afraid that he wouldn't talk to her. He was a very busy man, had said it more than once in fact.  
“He is unavailable at this time, may I ask who is calling?”  
Her heart fell into her stomach, her bottom lip beginning to tremble when suddenly she realized she knew the voice as Mister Stark's mysterious valet whom she had only heard through the band on Mister Stark's arm. He had spoken to him in the limo, in the hospital, walking down the hallway, in fact he seemed to rely on him for many things, what was his name? She screwed her eyes shut, trying to recall.  
“Is your name Jarvis?”  
There was a long pause and when the voice returned it sounded cautious. “It is miss...do you wish to leave a message for Mister Stark?”  
Brenna wiped a stray tear from her cheek, “Please, this is Brenna. I must talk to him. It's about my father, Loki.”  
There was another pause then, “Please hold, I will be with you shortly.”

 

“He's not here in New York again, is he?” Tony brought his hands together, shrinking the holographic display hanging in the air before him to a tiny square and sliding it to the clear tabletop at his waist where it flashed bright green, growing to its former size, paused and waiting for his next command.   
“She only said she must speak with you. I sensed unusually high stress levels in her voice pattern.”  
Tony looked about the room, “You're sure he's not there with her?”  
“She did not say, however, I detected no one else in the room with her, sir, what shall I tell her?”  
He pursed his lips together, fingers tapping his chin, “Patch me in.”

Brenna had slid to the floor behind the instructors desk at the front of the room and now sat cross-legged beneath one of the windows, listening to the silence over the phone, punctuated by electronic blips every so often until she feared they'd forgotten her. Thus the voice over the phone, startled her. “Hello?”  
“Mister Stark?” Brenna gripped the phone tightly.  
“Uh, yeah. Jarvis said you needed to speak to me about your father. Is he there with you?”  
She had to force her words, her throat was starting to sting, “No he is not.”  
Tony dragged his fingers through his hair, “Listen, I'm kinda in the middle of something. What did you want to know?”  
She leaned her head back against the wall, “Can you tell me about my father's involvement regarding the attack on New York?”  
Tony had been about to step into the elevator, his finger poised at the penthouse button but he stopped short.   
“Shall I reschedule the afternoon appointments, sir?”  
Jarvis's question seemed to bring him around, “Brenna, this isn't something I can discuss over the phone.”   
He heard her sniffle, “Gods, is it true? I was reading the magazine you call Newsweek for my homework assignment...”  
The glass panel in the lab behind him glowed to life, the cover of the current issue showing the aftermath of the attack on the front page. He walked to the screen, tapped the cover which opened to the story itself, the first two pages showing the aerial view he would never forget for as long as he lived. He slid his fingers along the panel, turning the page.   
“Jesus, large as life right on the second page, don't they screen what she's able to see?” He muttered to himself.  
“Mister Stark?”  
“Brenna, I'm coming to the school to talk to you in person. I'll be there in a couple hours.”  
He heard the anguish in her voice, “Sir, I do not wish to bother you in such a...”  
“You're not bothering me. I didn't have anything to do this afternoon.”  
“But you said you were..”  
“Changed my mind, see you soon,” he flipped his phone shut. “Jarvis, reschedule my afternoon appointments and have my car ready.”  
“Very good, sir.” Jarvis replied as Tony strode into the elevator, nearly toppling Pepper who stood inside, purse slung over her shoulder. “Are you finished already?”  
He nodded as the elevator shot upward, “Yeah, easy day.”  
When the doors opened, he trotted into the bedroom, started to strip off his clothes, “Jarvis, turn on the shower.... Yes I am done for now,” He called back to Pepper who was now standing in the door frame.  
“Where are you going?”  
“Salem center,” .his voice came muffled as he drew his t-shirt over his head, “So are you.”  
Pepper crossed her arms following him into the bathroom, “I've got a presentation to finish for the Board of Directors by Tuesday morning. I was going to work on it this afternoon.”  
“So you can work on it tonight instead.”   
He stepped into the shower as she sat down on the lid of the toilet, “And I thought we were going to have a quiet dinner tonight, then watch old movies.”  
“You know we never make it all the way through any of them. I swear I have seen about half of every movie I own and that's saying a lot.”  
Pepper was tempted to toss a glass of cold water into the shower at him, “Well it's not for lack of trying.”  
“Sorry. Listen you can take the presentation with you, work on it on the way.”  
“So why are we going to Salem Center?”  
The water stopped, his words echoing hollow in the enclosure, “Okay, we're not exactly going right to Salem Center proper, more like the outskirts.” He stepped from the shower and she tossed him a towel. “Pack my laptop too.”  
“Not until you tell me why I'm giving up my Sunday afternoon to take a drive in the country.”  
“Isn't that what Sundays used to be about?” he sailed by her into the bedroom,“We're going to help someone.”  
Pepper followed him, sat on the bed and lay back to stare up at the ceiling, “This someone wouldn't possibly be related to a certain young Asgardian?”  
Tony zipped up his slacks, “Maybe?....” he glanced at himself in the mirror, “She had questions and she called me looking for the answers it seems her father hasn't bothered to give her.”  
Pepper sat up, “Questions about what?”  
Tony shrugged on his jacket, “New York.”  
“Are you telling me she has no idea what Loki did? He never told her?”  
Tony closed the laptop on his desk at the other side of the room, shoved it into an open valise. “Would you? I can just imagine the way that would go, “Brenna honey, don't make daddy angry, he can be a real psychopath sometimes?”  
“Tony, that's classified information. Maybe it's not your place to tell her.”  
“Don't you think I know it's classified? Because I do.”  
Pepper trotted after him into the elevator, “Fury won't be happy with this.”  
Tony watched the doors close, straightening his tie with one hand, “Fuck Fury. If she has questions, she already knows something. She told me she was assigned to read Newsweek...when we get in the car, bring it up on the laptop, you'll see. Besides, he should have owned up, no matter how hard it would have been.”  
He watched the numbers descend as the elevator headed to the garage. “I always admit when I'm wrong which is never.”  
The doors slid open and the cool October air rushed in.  
“Hardly ever, anyway....”

 

Brenna stole back to her quarters where she lay on the bed trying to un-see the images in her mind. She wanted to be alone. When Chase came knocking on the door a short time later, she lay quiet until she heard him remark to someone, “She's not here either, come on.”  
She felt bad but she had no wish to talk to him right now. First she had to see Mister Stark, then she would sort out the rest. Her head had begun to ache so she closed her eyes for a moment to rest until she was startled out of sleep by another knock on the door. She opened her eyes, listening.  
“Brenna, are you there? You have visitors,” It was Miss Munroe, “They're waiting in my office.”  
Brenna rose from the bed and opened the door.  
“Were you asleep?” Miss Munroe walked into the room, “Are you feeling alright?”  
“Yes, Ma'am,” she nodded, unwilling to elaborate.  
“Put on some shoes and come with me. Mister Stark is here. He said Director Fury wanted him to check up on you every so often and he was in the neighborhood.” Miss Munroe seemed irritated. Brenna slipped on her flats, following Miss Munroe out of the room.

Tony was sitting on the large couch near the fireplace in Miss Munroe's office. With him was a tall pretty woman with short blond hair pulled back from her face in a hair clip. She wore a middling length one piece gray dress that Brenna loved though she could hardly focus on it at the time.  
Tony and the woman stood up when they entered the office andTony extended his hand to Brenna, gave hers a vigorous shake.   
“Brenna, so nice to see you again. Miss Munroe, I was wondering if we could have a private place to meet with her? Are you using your office?”  
Miss Munroe waved them toward the door, “Actually, we have a meeting room for families. Come with me.”  
They filed out into the corridor after Miss Munroe.A couple doors down from her office they walked into a large room set up with couches, a TV, coffee table, fireplace though there was no fire in it at the moment. There were lamps spaced around the room, a small toybox for younger children and a round table with chairs in one corner of the room.   
“Use it as long as you need.”  
Tony bowed, “Thank you,” as Miss Munroe closed the door behind her. He then turned to Pepper.   
“I'd like to introduce my Girl Friday, Miss Potts. She handles all my affairs and in return gets to hang out with me all the time. What a bonus package, huh?”  
He caught Pepper's half smile, winking at her as he opened his valise and set the laptop on the table. She could tell he was nervous as his fingers hit the keys rapid fire. “Okay, kid, what did you need to talk to me about?”  
Pepper put a gentle hand at Brenna's back, guiding her to one of the chairs surrounding the table, “Sit down, take a deep breath.”  
Brenna put her hands on the table, palms down and closed her eyes.  
“Now, what did you want to ask us?”  
When Brenna opened her eyes again, they were brimful of tears, “I want to know why the Midgardians hold my father responsible for the attack on New York.”  
Tony looked to Pepper, hit a few more keys and Brenna saw pinpoints of light blink at the edge of the laptop case, jumping back as a glowing green screen appeared in the air inches before her face.   
“Because it's true.”  
“Tony,” Pepper murmured.  
“She wanted the truth, didn't she?”  
“What?” Brenna whispered.  
She saw the cover of the Newsweek magazine pop onto the screen, blacked out by another one, different, older but with the same headlines, “Attack on New York,” across the cover, a picture of her Uncle Thor muscling his way through a crowd of reporters, flanked by Mister Stark and another man she didn't know. This cover was replaced by the front page of a newspaper written in a foreign language, the photo on the front, a picture of her father being escorted across a dark town square by two people in strange costumes.   
The images began to scroll faster now, headlines screamed, “Death Toll at 7K and Rising!”, “Path of Destruction Rips Heart out of Manhattan!”, “Stark Tower at Epicenter!”  
Brenna's mouth hung open, tears dropping to the front of her shirt. Photos of her father holding a strange object, a spear of some sort. Still more, videos in various stages of play, in Manhattan looking up at the hole in the sky, the smoke filled city streets, people running and screaming.  
Pepper glared at Tony but he was watching along with Brenna, “They tried to suppress the hundreds of thousands of photos and videos at first, but in a city of over eight million people, there's not much control with an event this big.”  
“Tony, that's enough.”  
He hit a button on the laptop and the screen dissolved as quickly as it had appeared, but Brenna still sat there staring at the space where it had been, stunned. Pepper was about to speak when Brenna whispered, “Why?”  
Tony looked at an image on the laptop screen that she couldn't see. A still, snapped by a surveillance camera, of her father holding the scepter buried in Agent Coulson's back, “Ya know, that's what we were hoping you would tell us.”  
“How can I tell you that which I do not know?” she cried, suddenly sick to her stomach. She wrapped her arms around herself, put her forehead down on the table, “Is this why the man they call Fury treats my father so terribly?”   
She shuddered. She was already separating in her mind the monster on the screen and the man who had taught her to shoot his crossbow.   
“In a nutshell, yeah.”  
Brenna started to bang her head on the table, “That man is not my father.”  
Pepper put her hand on Brenna's shoulder, “Maybe you should try talking to him before you condemn him.”  
Brenna sat up abruptly, staring at Pepper, “No, you do not ken! I mean that man in the pictures, the papers. He is someone else. My father is a Prince of Asgard! This man may look like him but it...is...not...him, it cannot be. My father would not....he renounced his title to live with my mother as a farmer!” She was starting to hyperventilate, panic setting in as Tony shook his head.  
“Again with the farmer. Now do you get why I can't see it?” \   
He turned to Brenna, “Look, your uncle claimed your father was under the influence of a race called the Chitauri. I thought he was simply a megalomaniac.”  
Pepper fixed Tony with a look and he shrugged, “But who really knows? All I can tell you is the truth. I think you deserve at least that. The how, where and when, I got covered, the why is something you'll have to ask him yourself.”   
Pepper knelt beside Brenna's chair, “I know this is so hard to take. I can't imagine how you must be feeling. All I can say to you is to hang on to the father you know now, not the....person he was before.”  
Brenna took a deep breath, nodded, “I do not know how I shall. Nevertheless I will do my best.”

When they finally took their leave of her, Tony left his cell number.   
“Text me if you need anything.”  
When he turned for the door, Pepper handed Brenna her number as well, whispered, “You'll have a better chance of reaching me,” squeezed her hand and followed Tony out of the room.

On the drive back to the city, he endured Pepper's silence for as long as he could, then crossed his arms, impassive, “I did what I said I would.”  
Pepper kept staring out the window at the scenery, her frown deepening.   
“Did you want me to lie to her?”  
Pepper's shoulders fell, “At this point I think lying to her would have made things worse. I just feel sorry for her. It's not her fault he's her father.”  
“None of us pick our parents. We just have to make the best of the ones we have,” he tapped the steering wheel, “And that, in a nutshell, is why I don't have kids yet.”

She returned to her room and forced herself to read through the article. Mercifully, it dealt more with the economic impact and the possibility of future incidents, less with how it had all started. She figured that had been discussed to death when the attack had happened. Still it took her until evening meal to finish it, finding she couldn't even begin to write the paper.  
When Chase finally returned to her room, she had curled up in a ball under the covers, chilled to the bone though she knew she was warm with fever. Chase peered around the edge of the door as she groaned, “Enter if you dare.”  
“Where have you been all day. Sophie said you had a visitor.”  
“Mister Stark.”  
“What was he doing here?” Chase sat on the bed as Brenna drew the magazine out from beneath the covers and handed it to him.   
“Oh man,” He mumbled as he read the cover.  
Her eyes slid to him. “You knew.”  
It was not a question but a statement.  
“Geez, Bren, this happened when I was about four. I don't remember much of it. I recall my dad had some visitors to the house shortly after the incident that had something to do with the whole thing but I don't know what. Honestly, I thought you knew all about it, being his daughter and all.”  
She shook her head, poked her hand from beneath the covers and he took it. “Wow, you got a fever.”  
“I know.”  
“I'm going to get the nurse for you,” he stood up, the magazine still in his hand.  
“Will you come back?”  
He bent over and kissed her temple, “Of course, you want me to bring you something from the dining hall?”  
She started to shake her head, then thought about it, “Could you bring me some of that orange juice?” She had become addicted to it from the beginning, drinking at least two bottles a day.   
“Will do, I'll be right back.”

Chase started out, heading for the nurse's office but he first wanted to stop at Professor Wagner's quarters. He knocked at the door, hearing classical music playing softly behind it.   
“Hold on,”came the response. Kurt opened the door. He was dressed in a lounging suit, an embroidered silk robe hung about his shoulders, “Chase, vat is der matter?”  
Chase handed him the magazine, “Professor, with all due respect, maybe you should screen the material Brenna sees.”  
Kurt tilted his head then gazed at the cover of the magazine in his hands, rapidly flipping through to the main story, “Mein Gott und Himmel!”  
He flipped the next page and put a hand to his mouth, “I have been so busy lately with finals approaching. I normally look for such things.”  
Chase stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, it's a heck of a way to find out your father is bat shit crazy.”  
Kurt grabbed his arm, “Vat? Do you mean to tell me she doesn't know about bout vat happened.”  
“She didn't.”  
Kurt tossed the magazine onto the seat of the easy chair beside him, “I must apologize to her,” His hand strayed to the rosary beads in his pocket and began to finger them.   
“She's sick. I'm heading to the nurse's office to tell them.”  
Kurt threw his lounge jacket off his shoulders. “I will go sit with her.”

 

By the time Kurt had made her room, Brenna had gotten out of bed to sit at her desk. She felt itchy all over, noting her arms had broken out in a red rash. Kurt took one arm and turned it over.   
“Ja, there is something going on here. Perhaps der chicken pox?”  
“Chicken pox? What are they?”  
Kurt stared more intently at the rash, “A common childhood disease here on Earth. Could be..,” his golden eyes slid to hers, “Brenna, forgive me for causing you so much trouble with der magazine.”  
Brenna held his gaze, “There is nothing to apologize for. The magazine is wrong. My father did not do the things of which he is accused.”  
She had lain there after reading the magazine, steadily becoming more convinced that they were two separate people, her father and this mysterious man who looked like him. Her mother had never mentioned the incident to her and she knew he shared everything with her. After all, how could her mother know such things and still remain with him? No, there had to be another reason, another explanation.  
“He didn't?....” Kurt paused only a moment before following right along, “Of course, he didn't. Push such thoughts from your mind. Der thing to worry about now is dass rash.” He steered her back to her bed and sat her down. “You rest. I willl sit here until Chase comes with der nurse.”  
He sat in the easy chair at the end of her bed, the rosary in his hands, lips moving in silent prayer. She watched him for a moment, curiosity getting the best of her. “What have you in your hand? I see you holding them so often.”  
Kurt held the beads up so the cross dangled, spinning in a lazy circle, “They are rosary beads. I count them as I say my prayers. Der carnelian beads are Our Father's, der pink carved roses are Hail Mary's..”  
The door opened and Mrs. Melon walked into the room with Chase close behind, “She felt warm to me.”  
Mrs. Melon smiled, her middle aged body fit tightly into a pair of light blue scrubs with the New England Patriots logo printed on them.. Her brown hair was done up in a bun and her round face beamed. “Chase says you're sick. How do you feel?”  
“Terrible,” She looked at the floor. Terrible didn't begin to describe it.  
Mrs. Melon took the thermometer out of her pocket and put it in Brenna's ear. A quick beep and Mrs. Melon nodded.  
“One-oh-one point two,” She popped the protective ear cone into the trash can under Brenna's nightstand, looking closely at her. “Are you up to date on your immunizations?”  
“What are they?” Brenna was starting to itch worse.   
“Immunizations? If you have to ask...” She took a cell phone out of her pocket and tapped the screen, pressed it to her ear, “Ororo, are you free? I have to talk to you.....okay....bye.”  
She closed the phone, looked at Chase and Kurt. “You guys have had your MMR right?”  
They both glanced at Brenna who was scratching her arm and all at once a look of astonishment came over Kurt's face.  
“You do not think it could be der measles?”  
“It looks like it. I'll be back,” she started for the door.  
“Wait, vat does one do for dem?”  
“Nothing, they have to run their course. Acetaminophen for the pain, calomine for the itch, fluids, rest. I'll be right back after I talk to Miss Munroe.”

Ororo slumped forward onto her desk, listening to the phone ring, waiting for someone to answer. She had told Carrie to quarantine Brenna to her room. Measles, for christ's sake.   
“Hello?”  
Finally an answer.   
“Hello, I need to speak to Director Fury. This is Ororo Munroe.”  
“Please hold,” came the sterile voice on the other end. There was a moment of silence.  
“Miss Munroe?”  
“Director, we have a problem. I was hoping it wouldn't present itself but it has. Brenna seems to have caught measles. She hasn't had any immunizations at all and you know how New York state gets with schooling and shots. We have to document each incidence.”  
“I can't imagine she's the only child that isn't up to date at the school either. Some parents don't even bother with them anymore, think they're as dangerous as the disease itself.”  
Ororo sat back in her chair. “I'm aware of that but we try to make sure they've at least got their first shots. She hasn't had any of them at all.”  
“Miss Munroe, you have two options here. One is to expel her so she can return to Asgard. The other option is to ignore it. Let me paint you a picture first before you decide. She is from another world, not another town, not even another continent. You can't catch a flight or a train there, can't even walk there. If we were to, say, force her to be immunized and she was to have a reaction to them? Maybe dying as a result, what do you think would happen?”  
Ororo swiveled the chair about, gazing out the window to the lake, “The whole realm would come down on our heads. Director I understand, but what about New York. We are still a school, we have to comply with regulations.”  
“Then expel her.”  
Ororo covered her eyes with her hand, “I wanted to avoid that, but I can't see how.”  
“Why don't you just take care of her, make her comfy, give her lots of orange juice and you let me handle New York state. I guarantee they won't be bothering you.”  
The sky outside was steel gray, snowflakes here and there fluttered gently past the window. Flurries, it wasn't even Halloween yet. “If you think you can convince them..”  
She heard a chuckle on the other end, “Trust me, you just keep doing what you're doing.”  
“Alright, but if I get any flak for this, I'm going to put up a big neon finger pointing right at S.H.I.E.L.D.”  
Another chuckle, “Take care of our charge, Miss Munroe.” a click and he was gone.  
“Yes sir,” She put the phone down on the desk, ran her hand through her snow white hair, “What next?”


	36. 36

“Poor thing, look at her.”  
Loki smiled at Chris, “What, she has fresh hay, water?”  
The rain on the roof of the stable was pelting harder and he could hear a heaviness in it that could only be ice, “I think it is turning to sleet.”  
Chris peered out of the stable door, “Indeed it is. Now as I was saying, poor Blackberry. That's what happens, you let a randy stallion like Lightning get a whiff of a pretty lady like her.”  
And Blackberry did seem miserable. She glared at Loki, her ears slightly flattened as he stepped into her stall. He looked at her distended belly, recalling how she had come to such a state.  
He had been mending Lightning's stall door early last winter. The horse had been startled kicking and breaking it in half. He had turned Blackberry out into the paddock for some grass and exercise, placing Lightning into an adjacent enclosure while he worked. Fen had been attending him, handing him tools as needed. When they heard the high pitched whinny, Fen had raced to the stable door then ran back to him.   
“Papa! Lightning is hurting Blackberry!”  
Loki rushed from the stable, stopping short upon seeing Lightning had mounted the little mare, she turning to nip at him as if to say, “Hey we have company!”   
Loki silently cursed Lightning's ability to jump even the highest fence but there was naught he could do for it now.  
“They are playing, Fen.” He ushered the frantic boy back inside the stable, turning to the stallion who was now staring at him as if to say, “Liar.”  
“Dog,” Loki had mumbled following Fen to finish his work.  
The incident, however, had been related at the evening meal that night by that same boy to Eidra had struggled to keep from laughing. “Papa said they were only playing but it didn't look like Blackberry was having any fun.”  
Brenna had shaken her head seemingly about to say something but Loki fixed her with a glare. She rolled her eyes but remained silent.  
Later that night as they lay in bed, Eidra had teased Loki about his solution to such a delicate situation. “Playing, is that what you called it, truly?”  
“What would you have me say?”  
“There was nothing else you could have told him. You did well. I wonder though, what would you have told me?” She smiled coyly.  
He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I would have told you they were rutting then I would have asked if you wanted to join them.”  
Their play had soon turned to passionate love-making and as they lay there holding each other in the afterglow, he was sure his life was as perfect as it could be. That was then...

“It takes two, does it not?” Loki laughed though Blackberry shook her head as if to disagree.   
Chris clucked his tongue, “Two willing participants mind you. When do you think she'll foal?”  
Loki bent over, palpating her side and the life within, “Before the next moon.”  
He exited the stall and latched the gate. As they walked out of the stable, heading for the cottage, Chris cleared his throat. Loki glanced at him, “My boy, Sally and I have decided that we shall move back to our cottage inside of a month.”  
“Now at the start of winter? Why not stay until spring?”  
“Because then it shall be why not stay until summer, then autumn will be upon us and cold weather again and you shall suggest we stay until winter is ended again,” Chris reached for Loki's arm, “My son, it pains us to be a burden to you as much as it uplifts us to be part of your family...,”  
“Ah Chris we've discussed this to death. Why do you believe so firmly that you are a burden?”  
But Chris would not be moved, “Let us try to return to the cottage and if we find it is too much then I shall sell the whole lot and return here to take advantage of your fine hospitality. I did hope, for your sake, that Brenna would come home and evict us.”  
Loki nodded, “I see no chance of that. Very well, if you insist upon leaving, so be it, we will be here when you decide to return. On the morrow, we will go hunting to secure you some game for a start. Which reminds me.”  
Loki turned up the hill before the cottage to the small smokehouse at the top, opening the door to check on the smoldering fire inside.  
“Is it well?” Chris called.  
“It is. Not long and we shall be able to put the meat into the storehouse.”

When they walked into the cottage, Eidra was in the rocking chair, Cait on her knees, cooing softly while Sally and Helgi looked on smiling. “Oh listen to her, already talking to ye.”  
“If only we knew what she was saying,” Eidra drew her finger down Cait's belly and her arms flailed. Loki's heart swelled as he leaned over, planted a kiss upon Eidra's forehead and she looked up with a gentle smile.  
“We were in the process of fixing the evening meal but we were distracted by a pretty girl.” “As I would be also, ”Loki put his hand atop Cait's head, glanced at Chris, “On the morrow, we are going hunting.”  
“Very well. I shall put aside some bread and cheese for you,” Eidra handed Cait up to Loki, “Take care of her, we will tend to the meal.”  
He sat down in the rocking chair with Cait on his shoulder. Before long, Fen was at his elbow. “When will she start to talk, Papa?”  
“Not for some time yet,” he kissed Cait's downy hair, “I know, she seems quite boring to you does she not?”  
Fen nodded as Chris chuckled, “Come boy, I've something a sight more interesting to show you. I will teach you to whittle a bit more.”  
“Be careful with the knife,” Eidra called to them, “Watch him, Chris.”  
“I shan’t let harm come to him,”Chris gathered Fen onto his lap, “Fear not.”  
When Eidra moved to the storage room to fetch potatoes for the stew, Loki followed her, catching her before she returned to the common room.  
“Chris has said they are to move back to the cottage before the new moon,” he whispered.  
Eidra peered out through the doorway at Sally and Helgi laughing and talking by the fireplace. “Does Sally know of his plans?”  
“I gather she does, he said they had been discussing it.”  
“Is there nothing you can say to change his mind?”  
Loki shrugged, taking the potatoes from her arms, “He thinks they burden us. If they wish to try their independence again, they have my blessing. I will watch over them still.”  
Eidra wrapped her arms around herself, “I will miss them.”  
“As will I.”

After the meal, Chris sat dozing in a rocking chair while the women cleared away the plates and mugs. A sharp sound, the clack of a plate, roused him. He looked at Loki who was securing the pack for that next morning.   
“I am fair bushed this evening. Good food does that to a man,” he winked at Sally who waved her hand at him, “I believe I shall turn in early tonight.”  
He moved forward, pushing himself from the rocking chair to stand. Fen, who had been playing at his feet, jumped up and hugged him.  
“My little man, we will whittle some more on the morrow. I believe you have the soul of an artist,” he ruffled Fen's hair then moved to Sally whom he favored with a pinch on her backside.  
“Ye scoundrel!” she cried, batting at him with a linen cloth, “Get ye to bed.”  
“Join me soon, my pet,” he rumbled as he shuffled off into the bedroom.  
Moments later, there was a loud thump and a crash. Eidra screeched and Sally dashed into the bedroom as Loki jumped from his chair at the table. In the bedroom, Sally was on her knees on the floor screaming at Chris to get up as he convulsed on the floor, his mouth moving soundlessly, eyes starting from his head. Loki heard Eidra's whispered “Oh no,” as he knelt on the floor beside Chris.  
“Chris, come to!” Loki took him by the shoulders, could feel the muscles straining as whatever demon that had taken hold of him, grappled for control. He looked over his shoulder at Eidra,   
“Fetch Petter! Tell him to make all haste!”  
Helgi had appeared in the doorway by then, her hands wringing together as she watched, “I shall tend to the baby, go.”

It was a long time before he stopped shuddering and they were able to wrestle him onto the bed. He had lost all semblance of speech, his movements slow, confused, the paralysis that had plagued him revisited as he lay there, mouth slack, one eye shut as if half asleep.  
“Another bout of Apoplexy. The damage is great.” Petter took Chris's wrist, felt his pulse, “Thready,”put two fingers to the side of his neck, “Make him comfortable.”  
“What? Is there nothing to be done?” Sally stood at the end of the bed, hands wrapped tight around the footboard.  
“Time is all that can be afforded here. That is all there is to do. Continue the willow tea. I will return on the morrow to check on him.”  
Fen's face appeared over the side of the bed as Loki patted Chris's hand.   
“He will be alright, won't he Papa?”  
Loki could only give a short nod as he walked from the room with Petter who stopped by the front door, cloak in hand, lips tight together.   
“It is worse than before.” Loki said upon seeing Petter's countenance.   
“There is nothing more to do, save keep vigil over him.”  
Petter started to mount his horse but Loki grabbed him by the arm, “He has recovered before, surely he will again.”  
“One may hope. Call for me if he worsens,” Petter nodded to Eidra who now stood in the doorway of the cottage with Cait on her shoulder.  
He ushered Eidra inside, shutting the door on Petter's retreating form as she edged close to him, speaking softly, “What did he say?”  
Loki could not look into her eyes, but trained them on the open bedchamber door where Sally and Helgi stood around Chris's bed. “He said there is nothing to do but watch over him.”  
He started for the bedchamber but Eidra stopped him with a hand to his chest, running it up to his cheek where he pressed it there, then leaned over, kissed first Cait's head, then Eidra's soft lips, lingering a moment before he returned to the bedchamber to check on Chris.

They would sit with Chris during the day. At night, Sally would lay beside him listening, waiting. On the fourth day, he had begun to sleep more often which to Loki was more of a blessing than having him lay there staring at the wall, seeing nothing.  
“Sally, you must eat.” Eidra coaxed her that morning, pushing a bowl of porridge with dried berries across the table at her.  
“Would ye be able to were it Loki laying there?” She replied though she pulled the bowl to her.  
“If It meant I would have the strength to help him when he recovered, yes.” There was movement out of the corner of her eye at the bedchamber door. Fen stood there staring inside, watching Chris as he slept. She thought she should tell him to come away but he wasn't harming anything and so she left him alone. After a minute, she heard Loki's low voice beckon him inside and he disappeared through the doorway.  
She'd brought a bowl in to Loki for morning meal but when he'd made to rise, to go out and do the milking, she insisted he stay and she did the chores instead. Now as she leaned back a bit, she could see into the bedchamber where Fen had crawled up on Loki's lap and was talking quietly to him.  
She looked down at the cradle she'd been rocking with her foot, seeing Cait had drifted back to sleep, she stopped ever so slowly, trying not to wake her in the process.  
“She's such a good baby.” Helgi beamed down at her.  
“She is. That is my one regret, we could have no kids,” Sally paused, spoon halfway to her mouth.  
“But you have out little ones to love and hold.”   
Sally gave Eidra a sad smile.

The whole household seemed to feel the tension. That evening Cait was fussy even after she had been nursed and changed. Fen was restless, refusing to settle down for bed. He had dragged his animals into his bedchamber and set them on his bed except the horses whom he'd given to Sally to put on the stand beside Chris's bed.  
“He made me the horses first. Maybe he will see them and feel better.”  
Eidra sat on the edge of Fen's bed for some time, bouncing Cait and talking to him until Loki came into the room.   
“Fen, it is time to turn down the lamp and sleep.”  
“I want to stay up and talk to Mama.”  
Loki took Cait from Eidra's arms, “Your Mama needs rest too, now go to sleep,” he tilted his head towards the door and Eidra nodded though she waved him away. He shook his head, looked at Fen, “Sleep.” then left with Cait into the common room.  
Eidra stood from the bed, leaned over Fen and kissed his forehead, moved to the stand and began to turn down the lampwick.  
“Mama, I am afraid.”  
Eidra paused, her hand on the lamp, “There is nothing to fear, you sleep in the dark every night.”  
“I am afraid Uncle Chris will not get better,” Fen reached out his hand, gripping a handful of Eidra's dress. She took the hand in hers.  
“You must think that he will, for good thoughts help to heal,” She smoothed his hair from his forehead, admiring the blue green eyes that so mimicked his father's, then turned and drew the lamp down into darkness so that the only light came from the half moon outside the window.  
“Goodnight Mama,”  
“Goodnight, my love.”

Loki had Cait laying on the bed before him, uncovered. “She was wet again.”  
Eidra watched him change her nappy as she unlaced her dress to don her nightgown.  
“You indulge the boy too much,” he murmured.  
“On the contrary. He is but seven and a bit more. What does compassion hurt?”  
“He needs to build strength of character. He must be strong.”  
“At seven seasons?” She swaddled Cait in her blanket and picked her up, “Let him be a child.”  
“I must remind you of my boyhood sometime,” Loki stood from the bed.  
“And did you not resent such treatment? You yourself said Frigga sheltered you more than Thor. That your brother was the one who was constantly in thrall of Odin.”  
“A fact for which I later paid the price as the oaf would take his treatment out upon me when he could.”  
“I will not cow him into manhood,” Eidra lay Cait in her cradle, felt Loki come up behind her and slip his arms about her waist, chin on her shoulder. She reached up, draped her hand around the back of his neck.  
“My love, he is a good boy. He will be as strong as you, only let him be for now. We are all of us worried.”  
She felt Loki nod, his arms tighten.   
“Get into bed, let me ease your troubled thoughts,” she cooed. Soon she had him cradled to her, stroking his hair, speaking words of love until they both drifted into silence.

 

“Loki!” came the frantic whisper, “Wake up! Please.”  
He raised his head momentarily blinded by the light of the lamp held by Sally. Beside him, Eidra stirred, moaned.  
“ 'Tis Chris.”  
He sat up, swung his feet over the floor and looked out the window. It was still full dark.  
“His breathing is become troubled,” The light cast macabre shadows that danced along the wall with the trembling of her hand.  
Loki felt Eidra move, whisper, “What?”  
He turned to her, “I am going to tend to Chris. Sleep.”  
He rose from the bed, knowing despite his admonition that she would be right behind him as she soon was.  
Once in the bedchamber, he could hear a thick choking gasp. He walked up to the bedside, looked down at Chris, could feel two pairs of eyes staring at him as he composed himself and turned to the women, “Eidra, stoke the fire and put on some hot water for tea.”  
“Loki?” She reached for his hand.  
“Do not wake the others.” He sat down in the chair beside the bed, watching the slow, heavy rise and fall of Chris's chest.  
“Should I ride into the village and fetch Petter?” He heard the desperation in Sally's voice.  
“He has said there was nothing he could do. Chris thought he was no better than a charlatan. Let us stay by his side.”

The night wore on as Eidra and Sally drifted in and out of the bedchamber, speaking in hushed tones by the fire. He would hear a sniffle now and then as Sally cried softly. At one point, Cait awoke and start to fuss. He rose from the chair to stand in the doorway, watching as Eidra drew her gown aside to nurse, Cait latching on, her eyes locked to her mother's face. Eidra looked up then, catching Loki's gaze and she smiled, leaving Loki to wonder how he could fall in love with her over and over again at the merest glance, the slightest touch.   
He returned to the chair, his eyes sliding from Chris's form to the window and back. At one point he thought he had dozed but darkness still filled the window. He looked at Chris for a moment, waiting for his chest to rise again, waiting. Finally with a great heave, it did and Loki was suddenly angry, enraged. He had considered bringing Chris to Asgard to see Clotho when he'd first fallen ill those long days ago but Sally had worried the trip might kill him. Loki had explained that Clotho was a healer, that perhaps he could help but she had refused.  
Loki had never been privy to the healing spells. A rudimentary few, to heal a wound, to lessen a fever, yes, but nothing so deep seated as this. That required intricate knowledge, elixirs, potions he didn't have and as a young man, had no desire to learn. He never expected to need such knowledge, in his youth far more interested in wounding instead. Granted there was no guarantee Chris would be healed but now it was far too late. He continued to watch as Chris's chest rose and fell, slower, the interval between breaths growing steadily.  
As daylight started to brighten in the window, Sally came in and sat on the bed for a few minutes.  
“Eidra is asleep in the rocking chair, poor dear. I told her to go to bed with the baby but ye know how she can be. She dragged the cradle out of the bedchamber and sat with me.”  
“If you are tired, take our bed.”  
Sally shook her head, “I'll trade places with ye if ye like.”  
“I wish to stay. 'Tis no trouble.”  
Sally nodded, taking Chris's hand in hers, shuddering at how cold it was. She rubbed it between her palms, trying to return some warmth.  
“He was looking for a nice piece of wood the other day. He was talking on whittling a doll for Cait.”   
Loki nodded, “He spoke of it the last day we went out into the woods to hunt. I am glad he was able to take down that buck. It was the first good shot he'd taken since his last bout.”  
Sally traced his knuckles with her fingers, “He was proud, was he not? Strutting like he used to, when he would make a fine cake to put in the window of the shop and he would beam as people would stop to marvel at it.”  
As Sally was speaking, Loki watched Chris's chest, waiting, longer now, longer still until the time stretched into impossibility. He stood from the chair, leaned over Chris's face then put an ear to his chest, his hand curling into a fist as he straightened back up.   
“It is over.”  
Sally lifted Chris's hand to her cheek as her tears started afresh. She began to rock back and forth as Loki rested his hand on her shoulder. “I will tell Eidra. We should wake Helgi.”  
Sally gave a nod though she stayed where she was. Loki knelt on the floor beside the rocking chair, gently shaking Eidra until she started awake.  
“He is gone,” Loki laid his head in her lap, felt her body shake as she began to cry, her hand stroking his hair, leaning over, kissing his temple as his own tears wet the skirt of her gown. They stayed like that for a long moment until he raised his head to gaze at Helgi's bedchamber door.   
“Will you wake Helgi and tell her? Let Fen sleep a bit longer. This is one time wherein growing up is highly overrated.”

Helgi sat with Sally while Loki woke Fen as the sun cleared the horizon, carrying him into the bedchamber to see Chris. The women had already started to measure out lengths of linen for a shroud. They sat around the table somber and tearful, talking quietly as he passed with the boy.  
“Will he not come back, Papa? He looks to be asleep,” Fen would only peek at Chris, his face half buried in Loki's chest and he would not be put down though at seven, he was tall for his age. Still Loki held him, answering his questions as best he knew how until the boy stopped talking and simply kept his face hidden. It was then that Loki took him from the bedchamber and into the common room where he began to dress for the day's chores of milking the cows and gathering the eggs. He knew his heart wouldn't be in it but it would distract Fen from what had happened and so he sent him off with the egg basket, explaining that the eggs must be gathered regardless.  
As Loki walked into the barn to milk the cows, he passed the spade leaning against the inside wall by the door. He knew he would have to abide by what Chris had wished. He returned to the house with Fen some time later, left the milk pail and the eggs on the floor beside the hearth and took Fen back outside with him to fetch the spade.  
“Where are we going, Papa? Why are we not staying with Mama?”  
Loki shouldered the spade, guiding Fen down the rutted path towards the fields. Chris had once asked to be buried beside the cairn for Silas so that he would not be alone in some unremembered hole in the ground.  
“We are going to fulfill a promise.”


	37. 37

Loki found himself quickly covered in sweat and dirt as he dug the grave beside Silas's cairn. He shed his tunic though it was a cold day, the sun peeking through thick clouds, burning off a heavy frost. He was glad of Fen who kept him from dwelling too much with his thoughts, even as he asked the hard question on occasion.  
“Why do we die?”   
Loki handed Fen a large rock he'd dislodged from the ground.  
“Toss it into the woods,” he resumed digging. “Our bodies wear out.”  
“Will mine?”  
“Such questions. Not for many, many seasons. Do not stand where I am throwing the dirt.”  
Fen moved to the side, “How deep will the hole be?”  
“Deep enough.” He felt the muscles in his arm starting to burn, thankful the ground was still unfrozen. He stopped digging for a few minutes, leaning on the handle of the spade to catch his breath. Fen sat down, dangling his feet over the edge of the hole. Loki climbed up to join him.  
“I will miss him.”  
Loki gathered Fen to his side, “As shall we all.”  
“It is not fair.”  
“Indeed,”  
After a few moments more, he dropped back into the hole, continued to dig. He wanted to be done before sunset. From time to time, he looked up at Fen, torn between keeping him here in heavy silence and sending him back to the cottage. Finally he pointed to the tree line before them, “Fen, while I finish this hole, gather kindling but do not go into the forest. The box by the hearth has grown low.”  
Fen, seeming relieved to have something to do, raced for the edge of the woods and Loki was left to his thoughts, recalling how unsettled he'd been when Chris had brought up the subject of his own grave. They had been hunting. It had been long before he'd taken ill, in fact.

“That is simply the way we take care of our dead where I come from, my boy,” Chris rested his musket on his knees, opening the satchel for the bread and cheese Sally had packed him, “I have heard tell of the Vikings setting their dead out to sea on a funeral pyre.”   
Loki glanced around the tree trunk at him. “There are such stories. It is much less grand than that.”   
“How so?”  
He made the shape of a boat in the air before him, “We consign the dead to the afterlife by fire, yes but we place them on a bier in the midst of a group of ancient stones set into the ground shaped like a ship, a stone boat if you will set near the edge of the Western Sea. The law, set down by the Allfather, stated that all dead men should be burned, their belongings laid with them upon the pile and their ashes cast into the sea or buried in the earth. Thus everyone will come to Valhalla with the riches he had with him upon the pile as well as whatever he himself had buried in the earth. For men of status, a mound should be raised to their memory, for all other distinguished warriors, a standing stone.  
“How very traditional. Pity, though,” Chris frowned, “ 'Twould be more theatrical to sail away across the water on a great fiery barge. There were tales that the natives in the Colonies would set their dead on biers high in the woods to slowly become one with the Great Spirit. To trespass on those sacred burial grounds meant certain death.”  
Loki took the piece of cheese Chris offered him and nodded, “Good.”  
Chris smiled, “Happy cows make good milk, thus good butter and cheese. Now, my boy, I wish to stay here as I suspect my dear Sally will be wont to do. After all, she adores Eidra and the children. I wouldn't ask her to uproot herself just to tend my grave in the world you have described. We have clearly been left behind as relics of a forgotten age. No, this is our world now.”  
“Such talk of graves and death, whyfor must you tempt fate?”  
Chris waved a finger at him, “And when would you have me discuss it? When I am dead? It must be now when I am of sound mind.”  
“Have you ever been possessed of such a thing?” Loki teased.  
“Cad,” Chris reached over, poked him in the ribs, “Now would you afford me a place beside your dear boy, Silas? I feel the babe must be lonely out there in the clearing.”  
Loki's heart broke at the image of his first born son lying there beneath the cold earth, “You know you need not ask. I will see to it you are buried in the custom of your Midgardian ancestors.”  
Chris seemed content with this, “I envision a shroud seeing as there be not one decent coffin maker in this province. Pray send me off with my musket as no one knows what to do with the old girl save use her as a doorstop.”  
“Chris, all this chatter shall scare away the game.”  
Chris leaned around the tree trunk, a look in his eye. Loki made to push him away though he didn't budge.  
“Do not fret, my son. We have many good hunts ahead of us, but it gladdens my heart so to have you know my last wishes that I will sleep like a baby this evening.”  
Loki chuckled, “No baby ever rattled the rafters with such snoring as yours.”

He had to stop digging, glancing up at the tree line to see Fen some distance away before he allowed his tears to come, and he finished the remainder of the hole in such a state. Fen was still picking up small branches when Loki called to him. He had filled the front of his shirt, holding it like a pouch.   
“Let us return home.”  
“You finished?”  
Loki nodded. Fen bumped his head against his side. Loki ruffled his hair gently as they started off back to the cottage.

The women were in the bedchamber when they returned. Fen dropped the wood into the kindling box then ran to the bedchamber door where Helgi shooed him away. Eidra emerged, Cait in her arms, “We were attending to a few things, getting him ready,” she handed the baby to Loki, “We will tend to the meal soon.”  
Loki rubbed Cait's back, leaning his cheek atop her head, “Some matters take precedence, the meal can wait.”

Before long the women had left the bedchamber. Loki could see two candles on the bedstand, Chris's body partially covered with the shroud, hands clasped on his chest so that he could swear his old friend was just resting, ready to jump from the bed at the slightest clink of cutlery to plate.  
As the women silently prepared the evening meal, Fen sat at Loki's feet, his wooden animals out of the box and lined up before him. The boy stared hard at them, not playing, not talking to them as he was wont to do, rather giving them a sort of review.   
“What is it, Fen?” he nudged the boy with his boot, “Have they been ordered to attention?”  
“I am deciding which one I want Uncle Chris to take with him to that place he said he would go.”  
“Heaven?” Loki grinned, Chris had told Fen of his religion's idea of Heaven though he'd often speculated to Loki that he'd be headed the other way.  
“I think I shall give him one of the horses. They were the first ones he carved for me.”  
Cait raised her head from Loki's shoulder and brought it down heavy, her mouth open, searching for her fist which he guided to her, “Cait is hungry.”  
“I know, my heart, almost finished.” Eidra passed by him, giving Cait's soft hair a brush of her fingertips, “Fen, wash your hands, 'tis time to eat.”  
She turned to Loki, reaching for Cait but he waved her away, “Eat first, she was not fussing yet.”  
“I would rather stave her off,” she lifted Cait from his arms, took the rocking chair opposite him and set Cait to nursing.  
Loki rose from the chair, caressing the line of her jaw with a thumb, leaning over to whisper, “I love you.” before he made his way to the table with Helgi, Sally and Ren whom Helgi had ridden out to fetch earlier that afternoon. He found, however, that he had little appetite, instead sharing a haunch of rabbit with Fen while making a plate for Eidra and bringing it to her in exchange for a sleeping Cait whom he placed in the cradle by her chair.  
“Thank you.” Eidra balanced the plate on her knees and began to pull apart the tender meat.  
“You cannot nourish thus without nourishing yourself,” he sat in the rocker opposite, staring into the fire for but a moment before he leaped up, entering their bedchamber, returning and sitting back down with a length of rawhide string across his leg. He pulled his hair forward over his chest and began to braid it slowly into a neat long plait.  
Eidra watched him as she picked at her food. Soon enough they were joined by Fen who pulled his little stool between them, looking back and forth until he settled on Loki.  
“Will you braid my hair, Papa?”  
“Afterward,”  
Fen leaned over onto Loki's leg, his chin resting on his hands. “You have long hair like me.”  
Loki nodded, his eyes meeting Fen's, “It is a source of pride. It should be well kept,” he winked at Fen who absently took a lock of his own in hand and twirled it. Eidra always had a time tending to his, trying to tie it back or comb it, grooming being the last thing on a young boy's mind.   
“But tonight I am preparing it for another reason,” he took up a rawhide strip, tying the braid midway, then continued to braid the rest. Eidra was surprised to see the very tips of his hair nearly touching his sash.  
“I am going to cut it off.”  
“Oh Loki,” Eidra gasped.  
Fen sat up straight, “Why, Papa?”  
“I am in mourning for Uncle Chris. In cutting one's hair, it symbolizes humility, grief, anguish. I will send the braid with him so that he will remember our bond in the afterlife.”  
Eidra swallowed hard, staring at her half eaten meal. When she chanced to look up again, she met Loki's eyes.  
After a time, Fen tapped Loki on the knee, “Papa? Will you braid mine also so I can send it with him?”  
Eidra stood unsteadily from her rocker, setting her dish on the table. Helgi put a hand on her arm, whispering to her as she bent forward, “Poppet, all will be well.”  
Eidra nodded, heard Fen's small voice.  
“Have you ever cut your hair before?”  
He picked up the last piece of rawhide and tied it at the end. “Twice before. Once for a departed cousin, once for you mother.”  
Eidra whirled around to stare at Loki.  
“But that is not a tale for the telling tonight. Someday when you are older.”  
Ignoring Eidra's stare, he took Fen by the shoulder, turning him to face away as he began to braid Fen's hair. Though there wasn't as much, it still trailed to the middle of his back.  
“Eidra, fetch me two more strips will you?”   
She paused a moment,watching Loki and Fen in the firelight, before heading for the bedchamber. How like his father in looks Fen was becoming, how beautiful her husband appeared with his braid draped over his shoulder.   
When they had been on Midgard, Lily had introduced her to a magical item called a camera which captured a moment in time and produced the image on a piece of paper like a painting. She had brought a small stack of them home with her from their time in the hospita. She would frequently take them from a small wooden treasure box at the bottom of her wardrobe to gaze at them. Standing here now, watching the heart warming scene before her, she fervently wished she had such a device now if only to capture this one instance.  
“My heart, the rawhide,” Loki urged her and she trotted off, returning a moment later with the strips.  
He wrapped one strip around the base of the braid, tying it tight, then another at the top. Eidra fingered the interwoven tress, “Mama, now you will not have to comb my hair.”  
Helgi and Sally giggled as Eidra shook her head, “Little fox.”  
“I wish Brenna were here,” he pulled himself into her skirt and buried his face. Eidra glanced at Loki whose countenance seemed to falter then.  
“As do I. Hush now,” She turned Fen, guiding him back to Loki who had unsheathed the dagger at his hip. He took Fen's braid in one hand, claimed a spot just above the first rawhide, set the dagger underneath the hair, drawing it across and upward as Fen staggered forward. Loki stood then and handed the braid to him as he put his hand to his head, “I shall be finished shortly.”  
He turned, took Eidra's hand and placed the handle of the dagger in her palm.  
“My love..,” she murmured, “I cannot.”  
“Yes you can,” he took her hand, bringing it up to the edge of the rawhide strip at the top of the braid, pressing the blade at the underside, “Now bring it upward sharply.”  
“I do not wish to cut you.”  
“You will do no such thing. Have faith.”   
She bit her lip hard enough to hurt as she moved around him, lifting the hair at his neck as far as she could, drawing the blade upward, feeling the weight disappear as the braid dropped into Loki's hand and his hair swung free, resting just at his shoulders.  
He pulled her around before him, catching her mouth in a long deep kiss before he cupped her face and whispered, “I will tell you a tale later.”  
He slid the dagger back into its holster, took Fen by the shoulder and guided him into the bedchamber where Chris lay partially enclosed in the shroud.  
“Give me your braid.”   
He held it up to Loki, amazed at how long his father's hair had been compared to his. Loki pulled back the shroud, placing both coils at Chris's side.   
“Oh Papa, wait,” Fen raced out of the room, returning moments later with one of his carved horses which he handed up to Loki.   
“I picked this one. Now he will have something to play with.”  
Loki let a shuddering sigh, reaching up to Chris's clasped hands and fitting the horse against his fingers.  
He lifted Fen up and carried him out of the bedchamber, “Tomorrow we will say our goodbyes. It is time you should be in bed.”

 

“Did he go willingly?”  
Loki shook his head, “He kept talking, no questions, just rambling until I had to turn down the lamp and start to walk away. Then he wailed until he received a hug and a kiss. I think he seeks to delay the morning.”   
He pulled his nightshirt down over his head, squatted to look at Cait, asleep in her cradle, then slid beneath the covers to pull Eidra to him.  
“Story time.” She splayed her hand open at his chest.  
“By my estimation it is bed time.”  
“A story then sleep.” She crooked one leg over his and he smiled.  
“What manner of story shall it be?”  
She hoisted herself from the mattress, straddling his legs, rising above him, reaching up to draw her fingers through the hair that now lay at his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist.  
“Tell me what you meant when you said you had cut your hair for me.”  
His smile faded, “When I first lost you in Alfheim.”  
She tilted her head, “What happened?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I knew nothing until I found myself in Tir Na Nog. What happened after I left this world?” She settled her weight on him, head on his chest.  
“I do not wish to visit such memories.” She felt him tense, shift as if trying to push her from him and she sat up, surprised.  
“There are a great many memories you do not wish to visit and I have never pried before,” She lifted herself off him to roll back onto the coverlet, “Nor would I continue to do so were it not for the fact of your statement. Why, after all we have been through, the life we have shared together, are you still unwilling to tell me what happened in the darkness of our separation?”  
“Pain. Do you ken?” He was sitting up now and the ferocity of his answer shook her. “Anguish so great it cannot be spoken of!” Color was rising to his face and for a moment she was hard pressed to speak.  
“Were it possible, I would bury all memory of that time beneath Hel itself. I do not talk of it out of fear. I will need to face my demons one day, to pay for my deeds and I do pray you are not there to bear witness to such a cost. Please do not ask me to burden you so, let me carry the weight that you do not suffer.”  
Eidra had already lain down again, her back to him.  
“My heart.”  
But she pulled the bed covers to her, over her face, hiding her angry tears.  
“Do not do this,” He lay behind her, his arm pulling her tight to him but she only stiffened further. He lay his forehead against her back, sighed, withdrew his arm and turned away. The silence between them grew so heavy he was sure she had fallen asleep but her voice came then, small.  
“When marriage unites a man and woman does not the burden of one become the burden of the other? Is it not easier to share the weight instead of bearing it alone?”  
She looked over her shoulder at him as he turned to her. He could see the luminous blue of her eyes in the lamplight. He reached his hand to her cheek, raising himself up on one elbow. “It is, but what if one considers the other so very delicate, fragile that he fears she will break under the strain of such a thing?”  
She rose up to meet him, brushing her lips at the line of his jaw, her hand to his shoulder, pressing him back to the bed.  
“Then the weight should be added slowly,” she rose over him, resuming the position she'd left a short time ago, “Properly proportioned.” She slid her palms along his ribs, raising the night shirt as she moved upward, planting kisses upon the plane of his stomach, his sternum, “I am a strong woman”  
He could only nod, his concern becoming entangled with his desire as he lifted his arms, allowing her to draw the shirt over his head.  
“You have nothing to fear,” she whispered in his ear, sitting back against his hips though he drew her forward again, leaving her with a particular weakness in her limbs. She let him manipulate her while he started to speak.  
“My brother tried to stop me but I drew my sword,” his voice was ragged, “wrapped my hair about my hand, and sheared it off before the entire High Court.”  
She gasped at the rough intrusion as he moved into her, fingernails digging into his shoulders. “He begged me to leave your side but I would not,” his hands slipped beneath the fabric of her gown, bearing it over her head to join his own in a pile by their side. He turned then, guiding her to her back. They had not coupled since Cait's birth and his lust threatened to overwhelm him, the emotions of the last few days finding vent in the touch of her skin, the taste as he bit her shoulder and she cried out, pulling him further into her. One hand strayed to her breast, rolling the nipple between thumb and forefinger, finding it wet. He rose up on his arms, locking eyes with her. She smiled, her hands entangled in his hair and he lowered himself to graze first one stiffened nub then the other with his tongue, nearly driving her off the mattress with a harsh whisper.  
“Gods, yes.”  
She could feel the tingle as her milk started to let down and the rush of love as he smiled against her.  
“ 'Tis sweet,”  
She pressed her hand to the back of his head and arched upwards as he took one nipple into his mouth, tentatively at first, then she felt him began to lave the sensitive tip with his tongue.  
When he raised his head to gaze into her eyes she met his lips with hers, her lust fit to match his own when she begged him to take her over and over, whispering hoarse encouragement as he lifted her from the bed with such savage intensity she was unable to lock her legs about his waist to the angle she so desired. He felt her efforts, wrapping his hands around the underside of her thighs, affording her the delicious friction she sought, the transformation flushing her face with color as she neared her peak and he left all gentleness to abandon, driving into her, worshiping the beauty of her body splayed beneath his gaze. When she tightened around him, her knuckle shoved to her mouth to stifle her cries, he could no longer bear it, spilling over the edge, joining her in his own release, in a union so beautiful, she felt her heart would fairly burst as he settled atop her, arms wrapped beneath her shoulders.   
“I have missed you so,” she cooed, their hearts thundering together, “My love.”  
He was quiet for a bit, their bodies cooling in the cold night air as she stroked his hair, reveling in the weight of his body upon hers. She thought perhaps he had dozed off but finally he caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips, “I held your body for hours. It had started to rain as if nature itself was weeping at the injustice of your death. I...,” he stopped, she felt his body tighten to her, “I knew I could not save you and so I helped you on your journey from this world. I spoke a spell to stop your heart, to take you from your suffering,” he groaned then and she knew how painful the telling was for him.  
“I would not leave your side. I was there to erect the scaffold where you lay. I knelt there praying to the gods to make you whole again, to heal you until Thor came to bring me back to Asgard. But who he brought back was not the man before you now. That man had died there on the high ground as surely as if he too had been run through with the sword. Will this suffice you for now, my love?”  
He lifted himself from her, lay at her side, cradled in her arm as she murmured to him, “With each telling, I hope to lighten your heart, ease your burden. Rest now, we have a long day on the morrow,” As if in answer, Cait shifted, started to fuss.   
Eidra sat up, smiling, “She must smell the milk, my little calf.”  
She lifted Cait from the cradle and returned to the bed where Loki lay watching.  
“She knows what is good,” he ran a finger along one clenched fist, delighting as it opened and took the finger in a tight grip.  
Eidra watched Cait begin to suckle and she glanced over at Loki, “Thank you for this evening. It was beautiful.”  
Loki leaned back on the pillow, his hand squeezed Eidra's thigh gently, “It was. I love you, my heart.”  
“And I you.”  
Long after she had settled the baby back in her cradle and nestled into Loki's embrace, she lay thinking about what he had told her. He had not been the same man, and yet he had returned to her whole. She lay her arm across his. Perhaps it would be better indeed not to know and this was her last thought as exhaustion dropped her into the abyss of a dreamless slumber.


	38. 38

Brenna turned over, scanning the room. It was quiet. She sat up, looking at her clock as she searched for the chain on the old lamp atop the bed stand.. Five a.m. All at once, she felt uncomfortable though she couldn't put her finger on the cause. She swung her legs out over the cold floor and stood up, still feeling a little unsteady.  
It had been nearly two weeks since she'd fallen ill with what Chase had called the measles. It had laid her up for nearly a week. As luck would have it, the people most important to her sanity were immune to the sickness. Sophie would visit and they'd sit and talk, do their homework together. Chase would bring her meals, they would sit and watch some of the silly shows on TV or videos on the computer, or they'd talk. Lots of talk.  
Professor Wagner visited her almost daily as well, continuing to apologize for his mistake with the magazine until Brenna begged him to stop, assuring him she forgave him though she had already written the whole incident off in her mind. She had even told Chase the matter was closed for discussion. As it was there were other things on everyone's mind.  
“You still haven't decided on a costume and the Halloween party is two days away.” Sophie admonished her though she'd explained to Sophie that this time of year for her was the celebration of Winternights.   
“Halloween sounds like our Walpurgis. You have it all wrong.”  
“And everyone has different holidays,” Sophie shrugged, “Now you have a new one to celebrate.”  
She had, therefore, held back on choosing a costume. The holiday felt alien to her. Still, she walked to her writing desk and turned on the laptop just to dispel the strange feelings surrounding her, typing “Halloween Costume” into the search bar.   
The glowing screen made her feel more alone, however, even deepening the eerie feeling that pervaded the room. Finally, she decided to wander down to the kitchen for a bottle of orange juice. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and headed out of her room. As the door closed behind her, she felt a bit more relieved. She started towards the stairwell to the first floor and had to stifle a scream as she rounded the corner into Grace.  
“Holy sh....sugar, what are you doing up at this hour?” Grace cried, a hand to her chest, clipboard clattering to rest on the floor.  
Brenna picked it up, handing it back to her as she tried to catch her breath. “I felt strange. Perhaps it was a bad dream but I had to get out and take a walk. I was heading to the kitchen for some juice.”  
“I'll walk with you. Wow if I was tired before, I am most certainly wide awake now.”  
Brenna shot her a smile which quickly faded.  
“Is everything alright?” Grace felt her forehead, “You're not sick again?”  
“No. I just...something is wrong.”  
“Wrong how?”  
“Like something has happened.”  
She had nearly added, “In Asgard”, but she felt silly. How could she know of something a world away. Maybe she was still suffering from the aftereffects of the measles.  
They reached the kitchen which was still quiet. Soon the staff would be in to start preparing the morning meal. She opened the big refrigerator door and grabbed an orange juice bottle from one of the shelves, “I think it was just a bad dream.”  
“You can't remember anything about it?” Grace reached behind Brenna, snagging a bottle of grape juice.  
“No, it just left me with a bad feeling.”  
“I hate those kind of dreams. You wake up scared and yet you don't know why.”  
Brenna nodded, looked out the big bay windows beside the staff kitchen tables and saw the sky was starting to lighten. “I am going to return to my room, I think.”  
Grace took a swallow of her juice, “Oh... sure...call me if you need anything. I have to post the duty roster.”  
She felt a bit better when she reached her room and found the strange feeling had dissipated. She was ready to chalk it up to the scary movies Chase and Brian had introduced her to as Halloween neared. They had started with Frankenstein and Dracula, old movies, by their standards. They had progressed to more modern ones like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the Thirteenth which had her hiding her face on Sophie's shoulder. No matter how many times they told her everything was fake, it was real enough to frighten her.  
“That's the beauty of movie magic, it all look real,” Brian had teased.   
When Chase showed up to walk her to the dining hall, the whole incident had been pushed to the back of her mind. Sophie was waiting at their table when they arrived with their trays.  
“French toast sticks? Bren, you're living dangerously.”  
“It would seem I am getting used to all the unidentifiable additives you people put in your food. Chase tells me pretty soon I will glow in the dark like everyone else.”  
Chase grinned, “Won't that be fun?”  
Brian reached out a hand and Chase gave it a slap as they laughed.  
“Pigs, all of them. So, Sophie to the rescue again. Rachel has a couple ideas for costumes for you. The drama club has all sorts you can borrow. She okayed it with Miss Horn. Oh and did you hear they're doing the psychic fair again this year at the party?”  
Brenna picked up a strip of french toast, “A fair?”  
“A psychic fair, you know, with tarot card readings, psychics, mediums, scryers. I love the tarot cards myself. It's all for fun. I mean they bring in people from the outside but I don't know if I believe in it all. Ghosts are even a stretch for me.”   
“Aw you take all the fun outta the holiday. It's all about the spirits and the serial killers and all that.” Brian frowned.  
Sophie stuck out her tongue, “I didn't say I wouldn't have fun. I just don't believe you can see into the future.”  
Chase pointed at her with a fork, “Billy Kennedy can.”  
“Okay,” Sophie rolled her eyes “But he can only see ahead one minute. I mean how can you see like way into the future or the past, talk to the dead, I guess I just have to see it to believe it. What about you Brenna, do they have ghosts where you come from?”  
Brenna nodded, “Though I have never seen one, I hear tales of them. My Uncle Chris would tell stories of spirits, banshees, bogeymen. He said he learned them as a young man here on Midgard. I had many a sleepless night from them.”  
What are you going to the party as?” Sophie looked at Chase.  
“I'm going as a prison guard.”  
Brian was nodding, “And I'se gonna be his prisoner. I gots me handcuffs and a prison jumpsuit, bright orange. My momma brought it down to me last week.”  
When they all turned to stare at him he sat back, hands on his hips, “It was bought from a costume store. What y'all think I got it off my cousin? They don't let them take those outta the joint.”  
Chase shook his head, “Have you ever thought about not broadcasting that shit?”  
Brian jabbed his fork into a bite of pancake, “Shit man, either y'all hear it from me or see it on the evening news.”

Rachel unlocked the dressing rooms behind the stage and flipped on the lights. “You don't have the slightest idea what you want to go to the party as?”  
Brenna shook her head.   
“Well what's Chase going as?”  
“A prison guard.”  
“Yeah,” Sophie added, “But Brian is his prisoner.”  
Rachel giggled, “I could see that coming,” then put her hand over her mouth, “I'm terrible aren't I.”  
“Seeing as you're dating him, I'd say yes..”  
Rachel wrinkled her nose, “I know, don't tell him I said that.” She pushed through the racks of costumes, “We have Cleopatra? Queen of the Nile?”  
Brenna pulled out the white linen skirt, “Who?”  
“C'mon, you're not flunking in world history. Egyptian queen? Marc Anthony's lover?”  
“Egypt, oh yes, and oh no. Keep going.”  
Rachel slid another costume over, “Martha Washington. America's first First Lady?” She looked at Brenna who was frowning, “No huh. We have a Native American squaw costume, Pocahontas, wanna be an indian?”  
Brenna slid another few costumes down the rack, pulled out a red sheath with fringes all around it. “What is this?”  
“Oh that's a flapper. From the nineteen-twenties. They were today's equivalent of the anarchists. Smoked, drank, wore their hair short, skirts shorter.”  
“Oh yes, I read about them when I learned about prohibition,” she slid the dress down the rack, “It's not me,” she sighed,“Maybe I should just put some cat ears on and paint whiskers on my face like you suggested, Sophie.”  
Sophie narrowed her eyes and put her hands atop her head, “Prison guard, prison guard.....wait!”  
She ran to the rack and started shoving the costumes back and forth until she found what she wanted. She took down a short halter dress, red spangled with a feather boa draped over the top of the hanger. “He's a prison guard, Brian's a convict, you can be a hooker!”  
“Hooker?”   
“Ooooh!” Sophie moaned, “A hooker, a lady of the evening?”   
Brenna stood there stone faced.  
“A prostitute? Geez, a whore?”  
Brenna's mouth dropped open, “A whore! Gods!”  
“Oh it's all in fun, it's not like we're going to make you turn tricks or anything. It's a party for crying out loud. Fun, pretend. Then you'll look like you belong together. Rachel you could dress up as a pimp.”  
“Well I did have a....,” she blushed pink, “...a cat suit planned....but I guess pimp would be more fun. Let me see what I can find on the rack here. Will that dress fit?”  
“C'mon let's try it on.” Sophie started to drag Brenna to one of the fitting rooms but she stopped short.  
“A whore? Will people not think I ....I do not want to be...a whore.”  
“For real? Party, please keep that in your head, this is all for fun. Chase will get a kick out of it.”  
Brenna allowed herself to be led to the dressing room while Rachel searched the racks.  
“Yell to me when you have it on and I'll zip it up.”  
Brenna slid the dress up her body and slipped her arms through the straps, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror of the little booth and smiling, though she felt a bit ashamed. After all, being a whore wasn't exactly a good thing. But Sophie was right, it was all in fun. She opened up the door and presented her back to Sophie who zipped up the dress. She then turned around and put her hands out. “Well?”  
“Gee it's even slightly roomy, let me tie the sash in the back.”  
Brenna put her hands on her hips and posed, mimicked blowing a kiss and Sophie clapped her hands.  
“Oh you look like a loose woman. We can make you up with really red lipstick, bright eye shadow, Rachel look.”  
Rachel's head poked out of the rack, “Oh now that's slutty. Hold on.”  
She had donned a shiny blue suit jacket.and a hat with a fur strap around the middle.  
“And I think we have platform shoes around here somewhere,” she adopted an aggressive swagger as she walked towards them, “Bitch, what you doing here, I told you to stay on that john and get some tricks turning.”  
Sophie was doubled over with laughter, “Now you slide up to her, Bren, like you're trying to make good with her.”  
Rachel mimed slapping her, “Naw you think you fancy. Get out on that corner and show 'em some A and T!”  
“A and T?”  
“Ass and tits, gonna have to learn the lingo if you wanna work with me.”   
Brenna roared with laughter. She'd never had more fun. She wished, in fact, that she could have come to this school seasons ago. Midgard was becoming her home.

That afternoon, before the party, they met in Sophie's room to get dressed. Brenna felt a bit unsteady in the high heels they gave her.  
“But you wouldn't look half as slutty in flats.” Sophie admonished her. She couldn't stop laughing at Rachel's fake eyeliner mustache. “I do hope that comes off later. You'd look hilarious going to class like that.”  
They were about to leave for the gymnasium when they heard outside the door, “Prisoner! knock!”  
“Yassum,”   
Rachel swung the door open and Brian's face fell, “Aw, i'se didn't get to knock guard, sir.”  
Chase poked Brian with a nightstick, “That's cause you weren't quick enough. Half rations for you.” He looked into the room to see Brenna. “Holy mother of mercy! A hooker, that's what you didn't want to tell me?”  
Brenna had refused to reveal what she was wearing when he had asked. She had to admit, she was afraid Chase would disapprove but she was determined not to spoil Rachel's fun.   
“That's right,” Rachel muscled in front of Brenna, “And if you want to talk to her, it's gonna cost you ten bucks. She's not cheap.”  
Chase waved his nightstick at Rachel, “What I tell you about bringing your ho's around here?”  
Brenna smiled, relieved to see Chase playing along though as they headed down the hallway, she noticed he kept close to her. At one point he leaned over and whispered, “Brenna, you are a knockout. You never cease to amaze me. Rachel do your hair like that?”  
She patted her hair self consciously. Rachel had brushed it in an updo and sprayed it with a ton of hair spray. She'd added chunky plastic jewelry and clip on earrings. Brenna tried to keep the boa tied around her neck however, shocked at the cleavage the dress showed.  
The lights in the gymnasium had been kept dim. Black light poles had been placed all around and there were fog machines going off every so often.   
“Thriller! They're going old school!” Sophie cried, “Oh they're going to do the dance, too.” She grabbed Brenna's hand, “Come on I wanna watch.”   
They drifted through the crowd, Brenna turning so she felt like a top, looking at all the different costumes. A spotted dog with an over large head that he had to hold on to. A mummy with an Egyptian queen on his arm. She was glad she hadn't picked that costume. There were a couple of kids with leotards on, glow sticks attached to their limbs and the rest of their torsos. She was fascinated with them until she saw a girl in a red cloak and short frilly dress accompanied by a short but very hairy wolf.  
“Such costumes, I have never seen the like. This is Halloween?”  
“For teenagers, yeah.” Sophie shouted above the din of the music, “The little kids go trick or treating, remember like I told you?”  
“For candy, yes. I like this better though.”  
“Duh, you're a teenager.”  
“Hey what's the going rate for an hour, baby?”  
Brenna whirled around. It was Dylan, dressed up in a yellow shirt and pants, a brown hat and a large round sticker on his chest that read “Chiquita” on it.  
“What are you supposed to be?”  
He opened up his arms, “A banana? Isn't it obvious?”  
Sophie put her hands over her mouth at first, finally bursting out with a loud laugh, “You said I would find your costume appealing. Oh god I'm such a ditz!”  
Dylan nodded, “I thought you got the play on words. I guess I was wrong.”  
Sophie twitched her whiskers and sidled up to Dylan, “I'll find you appealing later.”  
Dylan hugged her from behind, “Oooo, here kitty, kitty.”  
Chase reached over, poking Dylan with his nightstick, “Hey no public lewdness.”  
“He's right,” came a voice, startling them all. Logan stood behind them, wearing sunglasses, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket and pants.  
“Oh hell no, sir.” Dylan flung his arms behind his back. “Hey, James Dean right?”  
Logan stared at them, “Yeah you go with that,” He turned his head towards Brenna though with the dark glasses she couldn't be sure at first that he was looking at her. “You having fun tonight, Bren?”  
“Yessir,”  
“Your father would probably flip if he saw you dressed like that.” a smile crept onto his face.  
“Undoubtedly.”  
Logan seemed to scan the room, “Just behave is all I'm telling ya.” he nodded to them before continuing on through the crowd.  
“Why do we even need chaperones?” Dylan grumbled as he resumed hugging Sophie, yelping when Chase popped him on the seat of his pants.  
“Um, because of you?”  
Rachel tugged on Brian's arm, “Come on let's go get our tarot cards read. I looked over at the booths and the lines aren't too bad.”  
Brian rolled his eyes at Chase, “Whadda ya say? You wanna head on over?”  
“Hey, why you asking him?” Rachel cried as Brian pointed to him.  
“He my guard, baby, I don't listen to him, he gonna take away my conjugal visits.”  
Chase took Brenna's hand, “You gonna try getting your fortune told?”  
Brenna looked at the various tents set up around the perimeter of the gym. They were festooned with bright silk scarves, strings of lights, strange symbols.   
“I do not know, one should not know too much about their future.”  
They stopped before one of the tents with a sign hung by the closed flap, “Psychic readings Five Bucks.”  
Brenna opened her purse to gaze at the bills therein. She had started to work in the school library three nights a week to earn some extra money, providing her with the means to buy things like pens, paper, pencils, a candy bar on occasion, small items. It also gave her a chance, in her opinion, to give back to the school that was giving so much to her.   
“I'll give you the five bucks if you need it,” Chase was taking his wallet out of his pants.  
“No I have it, honestly.”   
As she was taking the bill out of her purse, a student exited the tent, waving as he passed them.  
“Hey Chase.”  
It was Billy Kennedy.  
Chase shook his head, “Probably gave the lady gray hairs. Go on, you're the next one.”  
“Alone?”  
He pointed at the sign where the small print read, “One person at a time, please.”  
“Are you scared?” Chase rubbed her back.  
“No, I feel silly,” she glanced around the gym. Sophie and Dylan were standing at the tarot card tent. They smiled at her and Sophie pointed towards the tent. When Brenna nodded, Sophie shot her a thumbs up.  
“Go on, I'll wait here,” Chase walked to the gym wall and leaned against it.  
Brenna sighed, then poked her head into the tent, “Hi?”  
The woman, a pretty plump redhead in a green cotton tunic and a darker green broomstick skirt, waved her inside.  
“Come in, come in. My spirit guide has been positively frantic to get you in here!”  
The woman was seated at a card table and she pointed to a chair on the opposite side. “My name is Bridget. I am a psychic and a medium. Welcome to my...” She looked about the tent and smiled wryly, “haven.”  
Brenna sat down, handing Bridget the five dollar bill.   
“Oh, okay I don't usually require payment until the end but that gets things out of the way first.”  
Brenna looked about the tent. On the table were two lit white pillar candles, the flames flickering in the air. There was also a cone of incense burning on a small metal plate and a statue of a gold plated cross with a rounded top. She stared at it, trying to recall what it was, she had seen it before.  
“It's an Ankh, dear,” Bridget tapped the top of the cross, “The Egyptian symbol for eternal life, or the afterlife, whichever you believe in..” Bridget clucked her tongue, looked to her right, “.....oh have patience!”  
Brenna tilted her head, “Excuse me?”  
Bridget laughed, waving her arms, silver bracelets jingling musically, she had to have had ten on each arm, “My spirit guide is telling me to get on with it. Her name is Agatha, she was a well to do young woman in the late nineteen-hundreds when she was struck down in her prime by diptheria. She came to me when I was a little girl, all alone in a new house, a new school with no friends. She's been with me ever since.....whoa, okay, tell him to hold his horses.”  
Brenna felt a tiny bit like she'd stepped into one of those old shows Chase and the others had introduced her to last week...what were they called, the Twilight Zone? She briefly considered thanking her and slipping out of the tent but Bridget was rubbing her hands together, her eyes closed. She took a deep breath then let it out.   
“Give me your hands, on the table, flat.”  
When Brenna hesitated, Bridget smiled broadly, her teeth were stark white with just a smudge of her coral lipstick near the gumline. The music outside the tent was muffled, “I won't hurt you child. I have things to tell you.”  
Brenna put her hands on the table, sliding them between the white candles and Bridget at once covered them with hers. Her hands were warm, moist, not clammy, motherly.  
“Agatha has someone with her. It is a man. Do you know someone named Christopher?”  
Brenna was so startled she nearly jumped from her seat, “I know of a man named Chris. He is my uncle, well we call him uncle. But he is...,” she paused, “he is home with my family.”  
“I'm getting to it! What an impatient spirit. I hate to tell him he has nothing but time now.” Bridget glanced around the room, seeing something she could not.  
“Okay, he says he is here to watch over you since your father cannot.”  
Brenna shook her head, “The only man I know named Christopher is my uncle. I know of no other Christopher.”  
Bridget shrugged, “He claims he knows you.”  
Brenna's heart was beginning to pound, “I know of no one else.” She knew she was starting to shout.  
“Alright, okay.....don't get upset honey. Okay he says ask him a question he will answer it for you.”  
Her stomach was starting to turn, she was feeling dizzy. If it was truly Chris, then something horrible had happened at home. The feeling she'd had a couple days hence, as if she were being watched..she swallowed hard.   
“What did we talk of at the forge that day with my father?”  
Bridget cast her a strange look, “He's agitated, saying something about being old and forgetful....wait a minute.” Bridget wrinkled her nose, “Really? Alright. He says you discussed the dream you had about Midgard?”  
Brenna yanked her hands from Bridget's to cover her mouth, “No, no, no.”  
Bridget's face softened as she reached for Brenna's hands again, “You didn't know he passed on, dear. He says he is sorry, he didn't mean to frighten you. He wanted to watch over you for your family. Hold on, he's sending an image to me. This one is a warning but he knows not where it comes from only that you have seen it,” she closed her eyes again, put her head down on her chest, “I see a room, it is dim, the walls are metal, but there is a patch of light in the middle, coming from some sort of vent in the ceiling. In the light on the floor there is a dagger or a knife of some sort. Dark steel, the hilt is carved with snakes...”  
Brenna had started to tremble.  
“This, he says, is something you have seen yet not seen.”  
“In a dream.” She whispered at first, then louder, “In a dream.”  
“He says the place is real, avoid it at all costs.”  
She was out of the seat now but Bridget waved at her, “Wait, he says he doesn't know how long he will be allowed to stay. That he missed you terribly and that he and your family are very proud of you.”  
“It cannot.....” She clamped her mouth shut, snatched her purse up from the floor and darted from the tent so fast that she nearly ran into a couple of students waiting outside for their turn. Chase watched her run for the gymnasium door, pushing her way through the crowd.   
“Brenna!” he tried to shout above the music as he ran to catch up with her but she kept moving until she had reached the doors into the hallway.  
“Damn!” Chase swore as she disappeared.

She had broken out in a cold sweat. The porcelain of the toilet bowl felt oddly soothing even if the retching clench of her stomach did not. She had purged the contents of her stomach into the toilet, reaching the bathroom with barely enough time to spare.   
“Brenna are you in there?”  
It was Chase. She took a piece of toilet paper, blew her nose. She would have to get a bottle of water.  
“Yes. Hold on.” She felt her stomach tighten again and the tears threatening to overtake her. Uncle Chris, gone? She hadn't even had a chance to see him for the last time, and Chris had been her father's closest, dearest friend? What must he be going through at this point?  
She stood up from the cold tile floor on wobbly legs. She had long ago shed her high heels, the night quickly turning somber for her. She exited the stall to find Chase standing beside the sinks, arms crossed.  
“What the heck happened, baby?” He opened his arms to her and she flew into them.   
“Chase, I think my Uncle Chris has passed on. The psychic said he was here with me, that he was going to watch over me.”  
Chase caressed her back, “Hon, those things are just for fun.”  
Brenna backed from him, catching movement out of the corner of her eye and giving a little shriek before she realized it was their reflection in the mirror.  
“No the spirit knew something only my uncle would know. It was about a dream I had. We had talked of it with my father,” she felt weak, “I need to sit down.”  
Once in the hallway, Chase started to direct her back to the party. At first she protested but he was able to coax her inside, telling her they could sit on the bleachers for a bit so she could calm down.  
She watched the costumed students dancing around, shoved under Chase's arm. “Wow, I mean talking to someone from beyond the grave, and on Halloween night.”  
“Chase!” Brenna cried.   
“I'm sorry. It was uber cool. I mean not the fact that your uncle is obviously.....”  
“Dead, the word is dead and I cannot believe it,” she put her head in her hands. “I cannot believe I was not there.”  
“Well you said yourself, you make sacrifices to be happy.”  
She leaned back onto the next bleacher, “Listen, Chase, I am going to my room. I'm feeling awful.”  
“Let me come with you, then.” Chase started to get up.  
“No, you stay and enjoy yourself. Catch up with everyone else.” She put her hand on his shoulder.  
“I don't like leaving you alone when you're like this.” Chase kissed her forehead.  
“I am a big girl, I promise I will be fine. I just don't have the heart for this anymore.”  
She wrapped her arms around his waist, pushing her face into his chest and breathing deeply, “I will talk to you on the morrow.”  
“Okay, if you're sure. I'll meet you for breakfast.”  
She managed a smile, “I love you.”  
Chase pulled her tighter to him, “Love you too, babe.”

She changed into a long nightgown, brushed her teeth and drank at least three glasses of water before she burrowed under the covers of her bed. She knew she would pay for the water in the middle of the night but it had made her feel so much better. At least until the words of that psychic returned to her and she lay there staring at the clock as the green numbers changed again and again. It wasn't the fact that Chris was indeed gone, though her heart broke every time she thought of him. Not the fear that he was here with her, no. That was the most comforting of all. It was the dream, the room she'd seen herself in with her father. Her uncle had seen it, the psychic had seen it. It was the warning Chris had sent her. The room was real, avoid it at all costs.


	39. 39

“Sir, we're here.”  
David sat up with a start as they passed under the large stone arch with the black metal letters reading “Forest Hill” across its curve. He stretched, settled back into the seat again. It had begun to sleet. “Rotten weather for the first week in November.”  
“It is these days. I recall when I was a boy, we would have had snow up to our waists by Thanksgiving. Now, we're lucky if we get a white Christmas.”  
David nodded, “Harry, the times they are a changin'.” He glanced at the tablet in his lap. Nearly seven thirty in the morning. He had some time before the board meeting to visit his projects though they might not be awake yet. Sometimes it was for the best.  
The psychiatric hospital had grown from the days when he had found it as a relic, the state ready to close its doors for a hundred reasons. He had brought in cutting edge technology, wooed some of the top therapists and psychiatrists in the country to join him in a new facility that hadn't even been realized at that time. He had taken a large chunk of his own money, much to Annie's irritation to start renovations on the one-hundred plus year old complex. He'd had the rooms designed in the subterranean basement for research and development plus an eighty bed unit remodeled and updated to include ten more rooms for meetings, therapy sessions, family visits, and when the money started to dry up, he knew it was time to collect on the favors he'd provided for people. Within a year, the facility was ready to open back up with the approval of the state. It was fully staffed, with its own security force, nurses, doctors and in today's society, no end of patients.  
He stepped out of the car under the cover of the car port at the entrance, trotting up the steps. As soon as he was through the front door, he was being hailed by the main desk receptionist. When he stopped to speak with her, he was cornered by Doctor Egan who was joined by the third floor supervisor, Mister Allen. By the time he had addressed their issues and was able to reach his office on the fourth floor, half an hour had been eaten up. He knew it would take half the morning to go through his emails and messages. What with the meeting, he didn't even bother to open up his laptop. He simply shed his coat, draped it over his chair, dropping his briefcase onto his desk, so eager was he to visit his special project.  
He was in the process of locking the door to his office when he head a voice behind him. “Welcome back, Director.”  
It was Julia, his secretary, “I didn't expect you in this early today.”  
David grinned, “I've been gone for two weeks. I've got a lot to catch up on.”  
She stepped behind her desk, flipping open the appointment book before her, “I would say emphatically, yes.”  
“Well then,” He straightened his tie, “I'd better get started.”  
He was in the doorway, one foot in the hallway when Julia spoke up again, “Oh, Chase called a couple of days ago. He asked to be wired some money for a school trip. As per your instructions I wired him one hundred dollars.”  
“What kind of trip was this?”  
She turned a couple pages back into the book, “Um, the Museum of Natural History?”  
“A day trip then, that's fine. I have that board meeting today at nine. Hold my calls until after lunch.”   
Julia was scribbling his instructions on a small yellow notepad, “Will do.”  
He gave her a wink and was out the door.

It was nearly eight-fifteen when the elevator door slid open to reveal the stark light blue walls of the small research and development waiting room. Along the wall across the way were five plastic chairs in orange and light green, holdovers from the sixties. In between them was a short wooden table a stack of out of date magazines strewn across the top. This floor received few visitors. The majority of the patients in his special projects unit had no family to speak of, many of them wards of the state that had been here when he'd taken over the facility years ago. Such was the case with his star patient.   
David looked to his left at the glass walled cubicle that constituted the reception desk. As he approached, he could see two men inside. Leon, the security guard and the day receptionist, Bill. They were staring at a computer screen, one sitting, one standing, their backs turned to him, laughing. He was unable to see what they were watching and so he stood there, waiting for one of them to turn around. Eventually Leon glanced over at the window and put his hand on top of his flaming orange hair which was as red as his face when David waved at him.  
He reached over, punching Bill in the arm. Bill was a small, middle-aged man with a sallow complexion, a large bald spot and glasses double thick perched on his nose. In comparison, Leon, with his barrel chest, lumberjack arms, standing beside small thin Bill brought to mind Laurel and Hardy.   
“Jesus,” Bill swore, swiveling about in his chair, “The fuck you do that for?” As he caught sight of David, he jumped up, adjusting his tie, “Director, I am so sorry.”  
David tried to swallow his impatience, “That's fine, you weren't expecting me.”  
Bill shook his head vigorously, reached under the counter below the window. A click, a buzz and the door to his right, swung open, held by Leon who ushered him in. Bill had moved to the inner counter inside the door and was now handing David a clipboard with a full sheaf of papers attached to it.  
“Welcome back, sir.”   
David flipped through some of the papers until he found what he was looking for, “Thanks, Bill. It's good to be back.”  
He tapped the clipboard on the counter and headed down the hallway towards a second door at the far end. Built into the wall beside that door was another booth. This one manned only by one guard which was all it needed. The guard noticed David, stood up as he approached, the chair he'd been sitting in groaning in relief. Leroy was Leon's twin brother. He filled the window of the cubicle, his arms crossed, a smile on his face, same shock of dark red hair but cut much closer in a buzz. David had picked them both for the project on their size alone... 

When he had taken over conducting the interviews for the security positions in R&D, much to the security supervisor's irritation, the twins had immediately caught his attention,Leroy in particular.  
He had wedged himself into the chair before David's desk, sitting with his arms crossed, much the same way he stood now. David had pointed with his pen at Leroy's hair, “Irish?”  
Leroy had laughed, a hearty snort at the end, “Scottish. My brother and I, we go to the Highland games every summer up north. I hold the current record in the caber toss.”  
He'd had to look up the phrase online, finding it was the equivalent of taking a telephone pole and flipping it over end as far as possible, doing so in a kilt. He had given Leroy's credentials a preliminary look, asked a small battery of questions and hired him on the spot. He'd brought Leroy's brothe along a month later but in his estimation, Leroy was the more serious, the more dedicated of the two.  
“Director.” Leroy nodded, buzzing David through the door.   
“How has she been?” David folded the sheets over the edge of the clipboard.   
“She had a couple....episodes. Doctor Egan was on it. He thought we should try other options.”  
David gritted his teeth together, “Damn it, without my approval.”  
Leroy shrugged, “Hey he's my boss too. I brought it up to him and he said you left him in charge down here. He said he was just going to play around with some dosages.”  
Now he wished he had told Tom just where to get off earlier when he'd come to him whining about his case load for the month.  
“Okay, it's not your fault. Just keep doing what you're doing.”  
He hurried down the hall toward suite one twenty-two where Jesse resided. She'd been at Forest Hill since she was eight years old. After an extensive list of incidents, from her first day at nursery school when she'd bitten the teacher after telling her to fuck off up to the week her parents had delivered her to the hospital and disappeared. Diagnosed a sociopath, Jesse remained there in the wards. David had assigned a tutor to her, then another, and another until at the age of sixteen, he'd spoken to a friend on the New York State Board of Education, managing to allow her to take her GED's citing her mental health as a barrier to any further education.   
Jesse had grown, matured, as it were, under David's watchful eye and he had made her his special interest, spending endless hours talking to her, writing extensive papers on her behavior. He had tried environmental controls, homeopathic alternatives. He had bordered on the illegal, acquiring medicines that hadn't yet met FDA approval. Nothing seemed to make much of a difference with her for very long.   
It would have been easy to simply put her in one of the general wards, installing her in a structured environment and indeed he had tried it when she turned fourteen, against the advice of the nurses, some who had worked on the wards for years. They had been adamant that she stay isolated and he had to agree with them on some level. Jessica North was a lovely child. Had she been able to function in society safely, she could have been a model with her lithe form, large green eyes, russet curly hair and sweetheart face. As she grew older, she grew more beautiful.  
When she'd been allowed to enter one of the wards and interact with other patients, she began to use her powers of manipulation and persuasion to get her own way, using the other patients based on what they had or what they could do for her.Soon even the oldest nurse on the ward was catering to her, bringing her candy bars which she was rarely allowed. She controlled what the ward watched on the big television. She would beg the orderlies to let her watch reality shows which were her favorite, especially old reruns of Jersey Shore and Big Brother, chock full of manipulative behavior, lying, cheating. For her, David imagined, it must have seemed like educational television and the freedom to watch such garbage was one thing he eliminated when he returned her to the special projects area.   
The final straw, the last incident which had facilitated her quick return to the special ward in the hospital basement had come when one of the night nurses found her in one of the vacant ward rooms with a young, handsome orderly who thought he'd locked the door. They'd strewn their clothes about the room in their haste to get it on and Jesse was riding him hard. They might have even gotten away with it had she not been highly vocal about their coupling.  
David had been called, racing to the facility in the middle of the night where he fired the orderly on the spot, informing him that he was extremely lucky that the cops weren't going to be involved seeing as it had been a case of statutory rape. David had refused to involve the authorities if the truth was known, reluctant to relinquish any control over Jesse, concerned they might try to remove her from the hospital if they were to find out how much trouble she'd been in over the years.   
He had escorted Jesse personally to her present quarters, explaining to her that her behavior was immoral, deplorable. She had cried, begged not to be isolated, had even tried to turn her charms on him unaware she had captivated him long before that night. He was firm, however, and so she remained, an experiment in environmental control. Now at twenty-three years old, she was possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, one he hoped to find a cure for.  
He kept her on a tight schedule, she would be served her meals at certain times, following a closely monitored dietary regimen. Television shows had to be approved before she could watch them, the same rules applied to books or magazines. She would get two hours of supervised exercise either in the gymnasium on the second floor or in the enclosed yard in better weather. She had her prescribed pills she would take in the morning and at night and every week he would look for signs that she was improving, observe her actions, ask questions geared towards gauging her progress, a frustrating practice as she would seem to be much improved at one visit, by the next, loud, belligerent, crude.   
He approached the door to suite one twenty-two, wondering which Jesse was going to greet him today. Beside the door was a panel with a small screen built into it.   
He pressed the button, “Jesse?”  
The screen jumped to life, showing a young woman, dressed in a pair of gray sweatpants and a faded blue t-shirt, sitting cross legged on the floor watching TV.   
“What?” She replied, her eyes never leaving the antiquated flat screen before her.  
“It's Doctor Wells, may I come in?”  
She lifted a hand, “Yeah.”  
He held up his badge. With a beep the door slid open and he stepped inside.  
“Where've you been?”   
She still refused look at him.  
“I was at a convention in Washington D.C.” He sat down in the easy chair directly behind her, taking his pen out of his pocket.  
“What was it about?”  
“My job.”  
This time she peered over her shoulder with those fetching green eyes, “You promised me you would take me outside again. That was a month ago.”  
David nodded, “I said I would consider it if you promised not to disappear on me like you did last time.”  
Her apathetic expression never wavered, “I said I was sorry, something distracted me.”  
He stared at her, dumbstruck. Distracted was a poor word to describe the fiasco in Manhattan. David had agreed to let her accompany him to the city one day. It had been himself, Leroy, and Jesse. He'd had an important meeting, leaving her in good hands with Leroy. At the end of the meeting, his colleagues had wanted to meet Jesse and David had obliged, sitting by, amused while his peers had asked her the same questions he'd been giving her for years, discussing her answers. For her compliance, David had promised her lunch afterward.  
When they had exited the building on 23rd street however, she'd slipped away, blending into the crowd in seconds. They had run in all directions, shouting her name, scanning the busy summer city sidewalks until at the last possible moment, Leroy had spotted her, sprinting as hard as he could toward her, his size clearing a path for him. He latched onto Jesse's arm as her foot touched the door frame of the yellow cab which had stopped when she hailed it, bodily lifted her struggling form over his shoulder and carrying her, cursing, all the way back to David. Needless to say, they had headed out of the city, stopping at a fast food restaurant on the way home when she had begged and screamed for something to eat for the better part of an hour.

Jesse rose from the floor, walked over and flopped on her bed. He looked about the room where she had plastered pictures torn from the magazines she was allowed to read; she wasn't allowed scissors. Some of them made sense, boys, men, women. Others, news pictures of explosions, knives, guns. Still more, beautiful tables set for a lavish meal, recipes, pretty dresses. Her mind seemed to wander in a thousand different directions at any given time. Seeing his attention drawn to the walls, she pointed upwards with her fingers. “I need more tape.”  
“I will see to it you get tape. Leroy said you had a couple episodes while I was gone, what happened?”  
She turned her head to the side and stared at him, “Ask Doc Egan. What a little prick he is.”  
David tapped the clipboard with his pen, scanning the room for any new nicks or dings in the walls “Leroy's idea of episodes are usually violent.”  
She kicked one long leg slowly up in the air, “Like I said, ask Doc Egan about his foot.”  
David thought back to when Tom had come striding across the reception area at him, recalling a slight limp to his step.  
“Alright then,” he scribbled out the medicines listed on the chart in Tom's tight scrawl, noting the time on his watch. Eight-forty. He was going to have to get upstairs and gather his material for the board meeting soon.  
“Okay let's get down to business. Spirits today?”  
“Oh you know they don't let us drink here, silly,” she giggled.  
David sighed, resisting the maddening urge to reach out and shake her, “You know what I mean Jesse. How are your spirits? How do you feel?”  
“With my hands,” more laughter as she brought up her other legs, fluttering her feet in the air in imitation of an insane water ballet.  
David smoothed the papers back over the clipboard, she was obviously in one of her moods. “Okay we'll try this later Jesse, I have a meeting to...”  
She was off the bed and on his lap with her arms around his neck in an instant, “Don't go! Don't leave me alone today. I'll answer all your questions, I promise.” The last sentence, delivered as a whisper in his ear nearly caused him to stand straight up from the chair.  
“Jesse, what did I say about patient doctor relationships?”  
“That there aren't enough of them?” She replied with the same sultry rasp. He began to feel flushed, the blood racing to do his bidding unawares. He had to get her off his lap soon.  
“No I told you we have to maintain a professional distance, conduct ourselves properly...”  
Jesse flipped one leg over to straddle him, pinning him to the chair, “I'm not a pro yet but I'm sure you could teach me how to conduct myself,” She ground herself against him once, twice and this time he did stand. She tumbled to the floor with a screech.  
“Don't go, I missed you!” She was up from the floor almost as soon as she'd touched it, wrapping her arms about his neck, knocking the clipboard clattering to the floor.  
“If you don't stop this, the next visit I make will include Leroy,” He removed her arms to see tears shining in her eyes, had to remind himself that she was a consummate actress.  
“Will you be back to talk to me later? I promise I'll behave myself then. I've just been so godawful bored. Lonely. Even Leon doesn't talk to me anymore.”  
“I gave him orders not to.” He bent over to retrieve the clipboard. “He's not as quick witted as his brother but he's a good guard. He'd be no match for your tricks.”  
When he stood upright again, she was smiling.  
“I'd swallow him whole,” she gave him a wink though she kept her distance.  
David rubbed his temples, “I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. I will speak with you later.”  
He buzzed himself out of the room and closed the door, turning around to look once more at the monitor. Jesse was still standing there. She stared at the door for a moment longer, her face impassive, then turned and sat down on the floor in the same position he'd found her, eyes glued to the TV.  
On the ride up to his office, he fought with himself as he did after each meeting. Jesse was crazy, sociopathic, apathetic, maybe even psychopathic under the ideal circumstances. But she was also gorgeous, smart, sexy, funny at the times when he was receptive to her humor and he wanted her more than any woman he'd ever met. Annie had been somber, lacking passion in much of her life save the mutant cause. There she had campaigned tirelessly for mutant rights and an end to discrimination leaving little for the bedroom. After Chase was born, little dwindled to nothing, then to divorce, leaving him alone in the sprawling mansion he and Annie had envisioned together. David hated it, hated the silence, the cold bed, the solitary suppers when he managed to be home. It was this, the loneliness, the bitter regret of a failed marriage which fueled his determination to find a cure for Jesse. A way to make her...and he hated to use the word, after all there were so many interpretations...normal. Only then, when he succeeded would he take her from the hospital to someplace far afield. Only then would he endeavor to make her his. Until such time, though, he would keep her safe from herself, safe from others or perhaps keep others safe from her, he laughed to himself.  
He stepped from the elevator still laughing.  
Julia looked up from her tablet, “Having a good day already?”  
“I'm on my way out to my meeting,” he grunted as he unlocked his office door, “Ask me the same question later.”


	40. 40

Winternights had passed somberly. It having been only a few days hence since they had lain Chris in the ground beside Silas's cairn, the household felt disinclined to celebrate. Even Fen expressed a lack of interest though Helgi insisted on taking him to the village for the evening to see Ren and join in the feasting and the festivities.  
“You cannot expect the boy to sit about filling his mind with sad thoughts,” Helgi had whispered to Eidra, “Let him turn back to the living for life goes on whether we wish it to or not.”  
The month of Frer-mánuðr was young when one morning, Loki was awakened by a pounding at the door. He sat up in bed, looking down at Eidra who was staring at the bedroom door in the dim pre- dawn light, “Who in Odin's beard is here?”  
Loki crept over her, careful not to wake Cait as he slipped out of the bedchamber to the front door. Warm flickering torchlight streamed into the windows on either side. He glanced over at his short sword hanging on a peg feet from him, gauging how quickly he could cover the distance to withdraw it as he swung open the door. Thor's great bulk filled the doorway as he peered inside, “Brother? I expected you to be up at this hour.”  
Loki closed his eyes, rubbed them, “Thor, it is not quite time to rise, I would put the cows off their schedule.”  
He peeked behind Thor to see a few men in the dooryard, mounted on horses, white fog drifting from their noses and mouths in the cold air, “Well what is it you want with me then? Out with it.”  
Thor paused, gestured to the interior of the cottage, “Might I come inside?”  
Loki turned to see Eidra standing in the doorway of the bedchamber, a lantern in her hand. “As you wish.”  
Thor smiled then, handed the torch in his hand to one of the men on horseback, “I shall be out shortly.”  
Eidra had moved to the hearth, stoking the coals and adding kindling to build up the fire. Loki stepped back to allow Thor inside, moving to stand beside Eidra, his hand trailing against her hair for comfort.  
“So what is so important that you see fit to wake me up before the cock crows?”  
Thor took him by the shoulder, “Brother, you must come with me for the hunt.”  
Eidra paused, a piece of wood in her hand, seeming about to say something but a whimper cut her short. She hurried into the bedchamber as the whimper built to a wail.   
“I cannot go. I have chores to do,” Loki sat down in a rocking chair before the new fire.  
“Have the women do them, are they not theirs to do in the first place? Wake Fen and bring him on a real hunt.”  
Thor started further into the cottage but Loki leaped from the chair, taking him by the arm, “Let him sleep, he has been plagued by bad dreams as of late.”  
Thor stopped fixing Loki with a curious look, “What troubles him?”  
“Our friend, Christopher passed on two weeks ago and the boy has had a time of it.”  
“Your house guest? You have my condolences. Perhaps a hunt is just what the boy needs.” He started for the bedchamber again but Loki was firm.  
“No!”  
Thor turned to him, “Very well then, will you at least accompany us? We will share the game. Fresh meat in the storehouse guards against starvation.”  
Loki frowned, “My storehouse is stocked well....”  
Eidra had returned to the common room with Cait who was rubbing her face against Eidra's chin.   
“Come Loki, you do not venture out anymore. I sent you a message by courier, inviting you to Winternights in Asgard but you never responded. You have not brought the littlest princess to be recognized as of yet and she is now....?”  
“Three moons,” Eidra murmured, kissing Cait's forehead.   
“Truly? This must be remedied. Come with me for the hunt. We will talk.”  
Loki gazed about the room. From the moment he'd opened the door to see Thor standing there, he'd felt an odd mixture of irritation and relief. The plague of loneliness which had settled over the house for better than half a moon seemed suddenly lifted though he was angry at being rousted from bed so abruptly. Chris's absence had left a gaping hole within him. Thor's appearance, however grudgingly he might admit it, was a welcome respite. He was beginning to feel outnumbered in a house full of women.   
“Uncle Thor?” Fen mumbled from the doorway of his bedchamber.  
Thor grinned broadly throwing his arms wide, “Ah, the little prince.”  
“Why must you persist...?” Loki groaned as Fen ran to Thor, stopped and bowed.   
“Your Majesty.”  
Thor bowed in return, “Your Highness,” then turned to Loki, “What say you brother? Will you go with us?”  
Loki looked to Eidra who was bouncing the baby in her arms. She pursed her lips together, dropping her eyes to the floor, saying nothing.  
Loki kept his eyes on her though he addressed Thor, “Will we return before sundown?”  
Thor threw his arms in the air, “Yes of course, now go dress yourself so that we may be off. The day grows older while we stand here at idle chatter.”  
Loki headed into the bedchamber to change. By the time he reached for his boots, he was giddy with excitement.   
When he re-emerged, Eidra was sitting in the rocking chair nursing Cait. Thor was bent over talking to Fen.  
“Papa, can I go with you?”  
“No,” Loki grabbed his cloak, “You must stay here today and help your mother with chores.”  
Fen's face fell, “But Papa...”  
Loki lifted his crossbow from its place by the hearth, “There will be other hunts.”  
He knew Eidra was staring at him, could feel her gaze as if it were a palpable thing.  
“Now let us ride!” Thor threw his arm around Loki's shoulder pulling him towards the door but he tore away.  
“Hold, you oaf!”  
Loki knelt down before Eidra, “I shant be overlong, I swear....”  
She had been angry when he approached her but at his eagerness, how his face was lit up at the prospect of the hunt, she put a hand to his cheek and pulled his face to hers where she brushed a sweet kiss across his lips, “We will manage here. Go, join them and think no more about it.”  
His smile made her heart sing as he turned to Fen, “Be a good boy and obey your mother.”  
Thor bowed to Eidra and Fen, Loki threw open the door and they stepped out into the early morning light.

Blackberry had been needing the chance to stretch her legs, to run, and Loki gave her full rein as they galloped across the forest floor. The gray dawn was threatening snow as they tied off their horses along a forest clearing and broke into pairs, Loki accompanying Thor, the others splitting accordingly.  
The area was unfamiliar to him so he let Thor lead the way until they came to an outcrop of rocks along a well worn trail and they hunkered down under the largest boulder to wait and watch the run a few yards distant.  
“I keep to my own land when I hunt,” Loki pulled his cloak tighter around him, “We could have gone there.”  
Thor shook his head, “The owner of this land owes a favor to the kingdom. I told him I would take it in game. There is a fine herd runs through this forest.”  
They were silent for a while, listening to the birds calling welcome to the day. Every once in a while, Thor would cast a glance at Loki though he said nothing. Finally Loki could stand it no longer. “Have you something to say to me?”  
“My reason for asking you along was twofold,” Thor picked up a leaf from the forest floor, “I need your advice.”  
“The King of Asgard wishes to consult one of his subjects?” Loki leaned back against the uneven surface of the rock, “How common..”  
“The King wishes to speak with his brother, the prince regent...”  
“Why do you persist in addressing me so? I am but...”  
Thor pounded the ground with his fist, “You are the prince regent! I will brook no more discourse on that. Your children are princes and princesses of the realm despite what you tell them. In my stead, you would be king!”  
Loki frowned, “I will never see the throne. Your son is first in line.”  
“Which brings me to my dilemma. Sif cleaves unto another.”  
Loki sat up, studied Thor's dark countenance, “Oh? How know you this?”  
Thor's stare was hard, “I have seen them, and I have...,” he swallowed convulsively as if choking down the words,“...heard them.”  
Loki picked up his crossbow, sighting along it, imagining Sif's heart in the crosshairs, “What have you heard?”  
Thor was on his feet then, pacing, “I have heard them whispering words of endearment, love to one another. I have...” he stopped, his hand on the rock beside them and Loki was suddenly sure he was going to be picking the King of Asgard up from the ground, “ I have heard them speak of their son.”  
“She has another son? Did you know of th....”  
“Lóriði, she speaks of Lóriði!”  
Loki put a finger to his lips, “Take care, Brother, the woods carry your words. Whatever can you do to prove the truth of this accusation? You certainly cannot ask her outright if the boy is yours. She will doubtless lie to you.”  
Thor smiled but there was no humor in it, “Indeed, I asked this of Stark upon my last visit. He told me what I could do to determine such a thing.”  
Loki stood now, “What do you mean?”  
Thor grabbed him by the arms, “You take the blood of the child and with the magic the Midgardians wield, they can tell whether the offspring be yours.”  
Loki had never seen Thor in such a state, laying a gentle hand on Thor's shoulder in turn. “And did you do this?”  
Thor nodded but Loki didn't need to hear his response to know the answer, “I did. I went to the royal nursery, bade the nursemaid leave the chamber then I pricked my son's finger, took a tiny vial of his blood and brought it to Stark. Before day's end, he had the answer for me. I am not the father of the child the kingdom now knows as the crown prince.”  
“And know you who infiltrates the King's bedchamber?”  
Thor snorted, his hands slipping to his sides, “Magnus.”  
Loki stepped back. Magnus? The bold, brave, loyal warrior?   
“Thor, are you quite sure?”  
“I saw with my own eyes,” he growled. “I have not the slightest inkling what to do. Should I banish him? Banish them both?”  
Thor slumped back down to the ground, Loki followed, facing him now. “Were it me, I would be inclined to run him through with my sword.”  
“How can I deprive the kingdom of one of its most beloved warriors? The queen? The heir to the throne? I could endeavor to bed her in hopes we will produce an heir but I cannot bear to touch her now. My flesh crawls when she but touches my hand. I think she suspects I know of her indiscretions for she has made no further attempts to try me.”  
Loki ran his hands through his hair, catching Thor's attention, “Brother, you have cut your hair? So beside myself was I that I did not notice.”  
“In mourning, yes.”  
“For your friend?” Thor reached over, giving his raven locks a playful tug.  
“He well deserved such from me but let this not distract us from the matter at hand. What now do you think to do about her?”  
Thor crossed his arms over his stomach, “I know not.”  
“Do you wish for her to return to you?”  
“No.” To Loki's surprise, there was no hesitation.  
“And you do not wish to cast her out.”  
In this, there was hesitation but the outcome was still the same, “No.”  
“Then you are held in thrall. What is it you wish for?”  
Thor turned to him, anguish clearly written on his face, “I want your life.”  
Loki tilted his head, “What?”  
“I want what you have. I wish for a wife who looks with love upon me when I enter the room. A woman who will keep by my side, willingly bear my children, care for me.”  
Loki was stunned, validated in his love for Eidra. Could Thor now ken why he had done what he'd done?  
“You seek love and affection. Take a mistress.”  
Thor sighed, “I could have any number of mistresses but none my equal. Servants..any children they would bear would be bastards, unable to claim the throne...”  
Loki grunted but Thor kept on, “.....ladies in waiting, scullery maids...therefore I languish on my throne without a true heir save you and yours.”  
“Forgive me. I know I have been found wanting..,” Loki spat.  
“You miss my meaning.”  
“What of that Midgardian woman then, Foster was it?” Loki scanned the forest, “I recall at one time you were quite serious about her.”  
Thor's grip on his bow tightened, “When I took on the mantle of the throne, I was made to decide where my loyalties lay otherwise I could not rule.”  
“And Father made you choose.”   
Thor hung his head, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few...or the one. I learned this on Midgard and it has stayed with me like a yoke about my neck.”  
“Then seek out this Foster woman again.”  
Thor blanched at the suggestion, “I cannot break my promise to the Allfather.”  
“Why?” Loki nudged him with his boot. “Are you not the King?”  
Thor's face darkened further as he tossed a stone into the woods,“I do not know whether she has found another. I do not even know where she resides.”  
“Does it matter? You are Thor, do not all women tremble at your touch?Once she lays eyes upon you again, your might, your power shall blind her to all others”  
Thor smiled, “Oh now you are being facetious, dear brother.”  
Loki returned the smile but his words were sincere, “Nay, I speak the truth. Did you not always have the most beautiful women on your arm? Listen, I too have a question for you. Eidra has asked that we visit Brenna near Jul. According to that accursed Midgardian Fury, I would require an escort which, I gather, would be your Majesty. While we are on Midgard, why do you not re-establish a connection with Miss Foster? We will visit Brenna, you will seek out your mortal queen.”  
“How are you so sure I wish to accompany you to Midgard, then?” Thor laughed.  
“Because you will do what is right. Because you would not break a mother's heart.”  
“You speak truth,” Thor's face fell, “What of my son then? He is not of my blood. What should I do?”  
Loki watched the woods, looking for movement, “Ask Father, he would tell you how to raise the son of an enemy.”  
“Loki...”  
He looked at Thor, unwilling to reopen old wounds at this time, “Care for him. Be his father as you have since birth. When he is of age, he will swear loyalty to you in return.”  
Thor put his hand on Loki's arm, “You are wise. Were it that I could convince you to return to Asgard to advise me.”  
“Return to the palace? To Asgard? Methinks your position high upon that dais has clouded your judgment. You are mad if you believe I would wish to return to palace life. Madder still if you believe the citizens of Asgard would accept me in such close proximity to the throne.”  
“I am the King of all Asgard!” Thor roared, “They would accept you because I decreed it!”  
Loki folded his arms before him, “Lovely. Any game within a league of here is surely heading in one direction, away from us...”  
“Loki!” Thor grasped him by the front of his tunic, “Do you not ken? Must I beg upon my knees? I am alone, unsure. I cannot depend upon Magnus's loyalty, this I now know. I need someone whom I can trust...”  
“Trust? My dear brother, you have seldom, if ever, trusted me,” Loki wrenched his tunic from Thor's fist, “...look to your fellow Aesir....”  
“No! I want family by my side..!”  
“I am not FAMILY!” Loki shouted, “Damn you!...,” Loki rubbed the bridge of his nose, groaned softly, “Damn you...”  
“Mother would viciously dispute such a fact,” Thor sat heavily on the ground, hanging his head between his knees, “If you believe so then why do you still call me brother?”  
“Odin's silver beard, I should have stayed at the cottage..,” he fingered the bolts in his pouch. He wanted to shoot something, anything.  
“Whether or not we are linked by blood, we are united by time, by history,” came Thor's muffled reply.  
Loki dropped back down to the ground beside Thor, blowing a great breath out as he lay back on the leaf covered ground, “I suppose your constant devotion will ever be my burden to bear. Very well. Would one visit a month suffice? Mind you, I would have to discuss this with Eidra before I could give you a firm answer.”  
“Only one!” Thor's head popped up, “It would take more than one visit to address the trials and tribulations of running a kingdom.”  
“Nevertheless, it is all I can offer. I have a farm to run, a family to feed.”  
“If you require workers, you have but to ask..” Thor countered.  
“...on my own. Now let us turn our attention to our quarry lest we come home empty handed and she thinks me idling away the day.”  
“Of course! Aha, brother, I am indeed happy to have you at my side again!” Thor cried, clapping him on the back.  
“Until I take down the larger game, then you shall wish me home with all haste.”  
Thor chuckled, scanning the woods before them, “Not a chance.”

The sun was touching the horizon when Loki slid the buck off the makeshift travois behind Blackberry. Fen had been watching for them and so was at their heels as they made the dooryard. “Papa, you have a stag!”  
“Indeed. Tell me, have you been good?” he patted Fen's head as the boy wrapped himself about his legs.  
“I have.”  
Thor trotted up to Loki, “Brother, I hope to see you before Jul in any case. I will inform Fury that you will be visiting with me.”  
“Visiting, Papa? Where are we going?”  
Loki lifted a length of rope off Blackberry's pommel to the pole spreading the buck's hind legs in preparation to hang it from the tree in the dooryard, “We will visit your sister near Jul. You will get to see Midgard.”  
Fen let out a screech so loud it brought Eidra to the door with Cait in her arms.   
“The gods wept! What is wrong?” She raced to where Loki knelt on the ground with the buck, looking from him to Thor as Fen ran around her in circles, “Loki?”  
“Mama, Mama, we are going to Midgard! We are going to see Brenna for Jul!” He took hold of her skirts shaking them for emphasis with each word, “We..are...going...to...Midgard!”  
Eidra caught Loki's sheepish grin, “We will hear no end of it until then, you know this.”  
She brushed her leg against his side, smiling down at him.  
“Are you sure you will not camp here for the night, brother?” Loki nodded to the group of weary hunters behind Thor, “ 'Tis a far distance to Asgard.”  
Thor shook his head, “I dislike being too long away. It allows others to thinking they have time to play. Farewell. I will look for you soon,” with a wave, they were headed down the road out of Rialo.  
Loki stood, tossing the rope over the thickest branch towards the bottom of the great tree, catching the end as it dropped over the other side.  
“You did not say you were going to ask him about Jul.” Eidra cooed in his ear, the whisper of breath sending shivers up his spine.  
“We all miss Brenna, besides, how could I say no to my heart?”  
“You miss her too, do not try to play false with me.”  
He started to pull the buck up, grunting with the effort. Fen rushed forward, pulling at the antlers, trying to lift the buck up until Loki groaned, “Fen, step away from him. I have it.”  
Finally he was able to tie the rope around the tree, satisfied the game was high enough off the ground. They headed into the cottage as the last light left the sky and snowflakes began to dot the air.  
At the evening meal, Fen could not stop talking about the trip.  
“Helgi, I cannot wait to go, can you!” Fen was almost standing on his chair.  
“Fen sit down properly and eat,” Loki admonished him as Helgi laughed.  
“Poppet, I am not going with you.”  
“Yes you are.” Loki countered, suppressing a giggle as Helgi dropped her spoon.  
“What? Surely you jest.”  
Eidra kicked Loki under the table but he kept on, “Why no. Brenna will wish to see you as much as you wish to see her. You do wish to see her, do you not?”  
“Well of course,” Helgi put her hand to her mouth, “But Midgard. I tremble at the mere thought.”  
“Midgard is not as bad as you have been led to believe. I am looking forward to the visit,” Eidra was in fact also looking forward to seeing Lily again. Loki had said they would have to arrive at the place called S.H.I.E.L.D before they could go to the school. She had been using the yarn she'd brought back from Midgard, making a bed cover with some of the larger skeins and she was eager to see what Lily had found to work on. She hated to admit that she was nearly as excited as her seven seasons old son but there it was.  
“Oh Eidra, I shall need a posset to calm my nerves before the trip.”  
“Jul is some ways off. No need to fret now. I told Thor to inform Brenna the next time he was on Midgard that we would visit so that she would know we were coming.”  
“Midgard, oh dear, what next, the moon?” Helgi put her hands to her cheeks and shook her head, “I am too old for this.”


	41. 41

Brenna leaned back, staring upward, mouth open in a great O,“And these creatures roamed the earth?”   
Chase surveyed the Brachiosaurus skeleton, “Yeah they did. Cool, huh?”  
“Can you imagine having one of them coming at you? Scary shit.” Brian elbowed her.  
She nodded and was about to reply when Miss Munroe caught their attention, holding up a finger to silence them as she continued her presentation to the students gathered around her.   
Everywhere Brenna looked, there were so many things to see she couldn't take it all in at once. She hadn't known such large animals existed until she began to study science. She was starting to see how vast the world was beyond Asgard and from the minute she walked into the museum, she heard maybe half of what Miss Munroe said.  
As they wandered the museum, she was at first startled by the stuffed and mounted animals. The African elephants, the Kodiak bear, gorilla, the lions, they all seemed so real.  
“Our next stop will be the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life.” Miss Munroe said as she waved the students along.  
“Wait till you see this.” Chase put a hand at the small of her back, guiding her along. As they walked into the hall on the ground floor, Chase laughed. Brenna's previously awestruck expression had returned as Miss Munroe started to talk about the massive creature hanging above them.  
“A blue whale,” Brenna whispered, “How did they get such a huge thing to hang in the air like that?”  
“Wires, it's not as heavy as a real whale.”  
“And you say Midgardians possess no magic.”  
At the end of the lecture, Miss Munroe gathered the group together, “We're going to break for lunch here in Milstein Hall so find a spot to sit. I'm giving you half an hour.”  
They scattered on the floor below the whale and started taking their lunches from their backpacks. Brenna unwrapped her sandwich with a chuckle, “Is the irony lost on everyone but me that I am eating a tuna fish sandwich in the hall of ocean life?”  
Brian held his sandwich up, “Good old PB and J. I can see that whale giving you the stink eye, Bren.”  
“Oh hey, guess what?” Rachel piped up, “I talked to my mother, they're bringing me home for Thanksgiving.”  
When Brenna had read about Thanksgiving, she had been heartened by the camaraderie and the exchange of friendship between the players in the story. She had since been considering what she had to be thankful for, herself.  
“Sound like a scene from “A Christmas Carol”.” Brian took Rachel's hand, “You gonna tell your parents about us?”  
Rachel shrugged, “Is it any of their business?”  
Brian tugged her closer, “I guess not, just I don't want them to get all uppity 'n stuff.”  
“Why should it matter?” Brenna was staring at them, “Do they arrange marriages here as well?”  
“Naw, that went out a few hundred years ago. It's just parents get funny sometimes,” Rachel looked away.   
“Then what does it matter? I still do not ken,” Brenna looked to Brian, then to Rachel and back until Brian leaned over and whispered in her ear.  
“It's because I'm a bit darker than they all.”  
Brenna frowned, looking about the vast room at all the different types of people walking about from display to display. A group of women with long black hair and red dots in the middle of their foreheads, wearing long colorful strange silk dresses, a trio of teenage boys with black hair and almond shaped eyes, a man and women darker than Brian, the woman almost regal in bearing, her hair done up in a tall tight colorful wrap.  
“Do you mean to say they discriminate because of your color?”  
“Now you got it,” Brian smiled, though there was an edge of sarcasm to his reply.  
Rachel nodded, “Especially mine. They're pretty prominent in their community. I haven't been home since last Christmas.”  
“That's a long time to be from your family,” Brenna saw Chase break into a sad smile as he nodded.  
“It's been about the same time for me. I haven't seen my father since last Christmas either.”  
Brenna slid closer to him, “And I think that's deplorable.”  
Sophie took a bottle of water from her pack and unscrewed it, “When do you think you'll see your family next, Bren?”   
“I do not know. I suppose when they choose to visit,” she took another bite of her sandwich, hoping they would change their tack but Brian spoke up.  
“They probably gots to get permission seeing who's your father and all.”  
Brenna sighed, dropping the last few bites of her sandwich in her baggie. Chase eyed Brian with a quick shake to the head.   
“He has to report to the man they call Fury before he can go anywhere in the city, it is silly. They do not trust him.”  
“Silly?” Brian cried, “The man broke Manhatt....the fuck man!”  
Chase had punched him hard in the arm. The group fell silent.  
“Does everyone believe what has been said about my father?” Brenna muttered.  
No one said anything for the longest time until Rachel sat forward, her eyes trained on the floor, “It's sorta the general consensus. I mean we weren't there to see it but, you know it don't matter, right? We're your friends. It don't matter what your father did..”  
“Do you not see!” Brenna cried. She was on her feet now, “He could not have done what he is accused of!” She thought back on their trip to the hospital to help Cait. How Chase had remarked upon the security surrounding the room and she felt like crying, unable to stop herself from shouting out her anger.  
“How can you accuse a prince of the realm of such atrocities? What reason would he have to do such terrible things?”  
She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around to see Miss Munroe, “Brenna, is everything okay?”  
She was trembling, her mouth felt glued shut as Miss Munroe led her to a quiet corner beside a glassed in window depicting what the sign below read was a squid. People walking past were staring at her. She wanted to yell at them, scream at them to stop.  
“What happened in there?” Miss Munroe was rubbing her shoulders, “You practicing for drama club?”  
Brenna shook her head, “Miss Munroe, what do I believe?”  
“Believe? About what?” Ororo drew her farther from the group.  
“Do I believe that my father is a monster?Do I believe all the horrible things I have been shown? That I have read? It is too terrible even to think upon.”  
Ororo sighed, “Remember when we talked about this before?”  
Brenna drew a hitching breath, nodded, “You said to talk with my father. Ask him the questions I have.”  
“It's the only way you're going to get the truth. Making a scene in the middle of the museum isn't going to solve anything, and it won't get you answers either.”  
After a few moments, Brenna nodded again, “There is nothing else for it then but to ask him.” When she returned to the group and sat down, Chase started to talk to her but she held up her hand, “Shh.”  
“Okay then.” Chase trained his attention back to his lunch as Brenna pulled out an orange and began to peel it. She remained quiet for the rest of the day until they boarded the bus back to the school.   
“Better?”Chase asked when he was settled in beside her.  
She looked out the window at the city, “I am sorry for today, Chase.”  
“Don't mention it. Everything is gonna be alright.”  
She curled beneath his arm, “Indeed, as long as I am with you.”  
The harder thing was convincing herself what she believed was true.

 

The high pitched warble brought his head off the pillow. He glanced about the bedroom. The light streaming in through the window had dimmed. He swung his legs over the floor and sat up.  
“Damn me.”  
He hadn't meant to fall asleep for so long. He rubbed his face, wincing as another flat note drifted up to him from the first floor then leaned over, peering through the iron heating grate beside the bed. He could see Anna in the laundry room folding towels, singing, no, murdering the national anthem of the United States yet again.   
He ran his hand through his thinning hair. Why on earth had he brought that CD back with him? Couldn't he have simply stopped at the miniature replica of the White House and the tour book? He rose from the bed and stretched, listening to the snap and pop of his body as it adjusted itself, shoved his feet into his old leather slippers and headed out of the bedroom. By the time he had made the top landing of the staircase, he could hear her launch into a rendition of “God save the Queen.” At least she'd switched back to her own country. As he reached the first floor, he could hear her loud and clear. It was a pity she didn't make up in quality what she delivered in quantity.  
She had her back turned to him, another towel in her hand and so he thought to have a bit of fun, waiting until she'd started yet another anthem; where was she drawing them from?   
“Anna?”  
She threw the towel across the laundry room with a scream doing a hopping dance which nearly bent Martin double.  
“Oh Martin, I thought you were still napping. Dear god!” She had one hand over her heart one on her hip.  
“I dreamed I was being serenaded by a lovely fairy and so awoke to search for her,” he shoved his hands in his pockets waiting for the remark to sink in, knowing it likely wouldn't when she canted her head to the side.  
“What a curious dream.”  
He pointed upwards to the iron grate with a grin and she looked to the ceiling.  
“Oh Martin, I'm terribly sorry. I woke you up didn't I, what with my caterwauling.”  
“Nothing to fret about, dearest. I shouldn't have slept as long as I did,” he reached for a towel and began to help her fold though she tried to protest, “Anthems is it now?” He set a folded towel on the small table between the washer and dryer, grabbing another one from the basket on the floor.  
“Ever since you brought me back that CD of patriotic songs, I can't get them out of my head. I've added a new item to me bucket list now.”   
He waited as she rarely needed encouragement to continue.  
“I want to hear the U.S. National anthem sung in person.”  
There it was.   
“Very well then, I'll telephone Father Miller and see if he can't fit it into the hymns this Sunday.”  
She threw a towel at him with a snort, “Silly, I mean in the states. I want to take a holiday to America.”   
“We only just returned from Venice. You've been all over Europe. Really my pet, after all that culture, wouldn't the states be rather a letdown?”  
She set another towel on the stack, snatching the next one before he could reach it.   
“Martin, how can I do the wash if you won't let me? Now I know we've gone on many holidays but how could I call myself well rounded without seeing America at least once?”  
Perhaps it was an irrational fear that she would be drawn in by the fast paced lifestyle in the states, the opportunities, the sights but she was such a simple, kind, loving woman and he wanted to keep her uncorrupted. He'd come close, in fact, to offering her the trip of a lifetime to his homeland Alfheim just to draw her attention away from traveling across the pond but he wasn't sure her fragile mind could absorb such a revelation that her employer, her lover, was from an entirely different world. A different postal code was a stretch for her.  
He'd kept his secret from her all these years. In the beginning so as not to frighten her away because he desperately needed a housekeeper, later on at a much more personal level. It was another such reason he wished to keep her far from the states. Every time he visited overseas, David seemed to look him up and in his opinion, from his last meeting at the convention, David had gone round the bend as of late.

When David had appeared at Martin's hotel door after his lecture, he'd seemed genuinely happy to see him, Martin, however, was on his guard. He listened with growing concern as David told him about one of his long time patients at the psychiatric hospital where he was director. He was clearly obsessed with her, talked of finding a cure for her condition, the treatments he'd tried, the environmental controls he'd imposed on her. As David described her behavior, Martin wondered if there was something much deeper going on between them.  
“David, there is no cure. We can give them anti-psychotics but once you take them away, the brain will function as it did before. You, yourself, said even they make no difference. She will likely never be able to live outside an institution.”  
“That's where you're wrong,” David had been pacing the room by then, “I am going to find a way to cure her if it takes the rest of my career.”   
“You've not violated the patient doctor relationship have you?” Martin had asked when David then proceeded to produce a picture of Jesse, a beautiful woman with a vacant look in her eyes.  
Martin had heard of psychiatrists becoming patients themselves after dealing with psychosis’s year after year. He was pretty certain David, however brilliant he was, had started on that same downward spiral. He stressed only a clinical interest in Jesse, insisting he wanted to ease the suffering of the mentally ill but Martin could see his actions were those of a man in far deeper than he would admit. Martin had considered alerting the AMA to a possible problem but he wanted to distance himself from the whole situation which meant simply leaving it alone.

“Anna, listen, perhaps next year we will plan a getaway but why don't we consider the west coast? California, or the Grand Canyon, there's a wonder of the world. Las Vegas?”  
She shook her head, stacking the folded towels into the now empty basket, “I want to see the Capital of The United States, the Big Apple, Boston,” She lifted the basket, paused as he continued, “L.A is chock a block full of movie stars, California, hmm?”  
As far away from the east coast as possible, unless he included Alaska.  
“You indulge me too much, Martin.”  
“Payment for your years of loyal service.”  
She laughed, that endearing, maddening snort, “You've already paid me far more than I deserve.”  
“Well then I shall get a head start on your future.”  
He watched her waltz down the hall with the basket, giggling as she went and he smiled to himself as he padded down the hall behind her to his study to start researching resorts in California.

 

He was facing a door made of metal, arms pulled, stretched painfully tight behind his back, he could feel the bite of the constraints at his wrists. Why couldn't he break them? There was a voice in his ear, deep, unfamiliar.  
“I think this will change her mind...”   
Movement at his thigh where his dagger lay sheathed, the rasp as it was withdrawn, his own heart pounding in his ears....  
“Fine workmanship, let's see if it performs as well it's supposed to...”   
Blinding pain shot through his chest as the dagger slid between his ribs on his right side, twisted, was removed. He drew a hitching breath, could feel the space where the blade had been. Another thrust. The instinct to cover the wounds with his hand made him struggle against his bonds as the pain in his side bloomed, it was getting hard to breathe. A hand shot past his cheek to a panel beside the door and it slid open...

“Loki? My heart, wake up!”  
His eyes flew open as he reached for his side, fully expecting to feel the wetness of his own blood soaking the sheets. His heart was racing, chest heaving as he sat up, drawing in lungfuls of fresh air.   
“You were having a bad dream and I could not wake you,” Eidra's tremulous voice came to him through the darkness, “I was so frightened,” She was kneeling beside him on the bed. He gathered her into his arms while she stroked his hair.  
“It is alright, my sweet. You are safe,” she murmured, “What were you dreaming of?”  
Loki knew what he had dreamed was not of this world, not of Asgard. He paused a moment, determined not to frighten her further.  
“I cannot recall,”  
“You were crying out, “Where is she?” Who is did you mean?”  
He backed from her, “I told you I cannot recall. It was but a dream.”  
She pulled him back down to lay beside her. At first he resisted but finally he settled back to his feather pillow.  
“Close your eyes. You are safe now.”  
He lay there, his head on her chest, listening to her heart but it was a long time before sleep reclaimed him, before he could banish the memory of that door to the back of his mind.


	42. 42

Sophie found Brenna standing outside Miss Munroe's office right where her text had said she would be. They'd been in the kitchen helping with the Thanksgiving preparations for the next day when Brenna had gotten a call to come to Miss Munroe's office. Sophie had rushed to find Brenna when she'd said it was urgent.   
“Bren, you okay?”  
She shook her head.  
Sophie took Brenna's arm, putting a hand to her back, “Sweetie, what is it?”  
“Miss Munroe talked to Director Fury. My uncle informed him that my family is coming to visit me before Jul.”  
“Oh, that's wonderful....”  
Brenna was shaking her head again.  
“It's not wonderful okay, why?”  
“My family is coming to visit me...”  
“Still not getting you..”  
Brenna leaned her forehead on the hallway wall, “My mother, and brother.....and my father.”  
“Jul is the winter solstice right? The twenty-first? I'll still be here, I'll get to see your little sister!”  
When Brenna cast her a wry smile, Sophie nudged her, “Come on, Bren, really it can't be all that bad. You lived with them didn't you, I mean they're family...?”  
“But this is Midgard. Asgard is so very different,”  
Sophie nodded, “I gathered that....”  
“My brother is going to freak out. Oh no what if they bring Helgi, gods!”  
Brenna started off down the hall, Sophie following after her, “That's the woman who took care of you right?”  
“Yes,” she put her arms over her head.  
“Are you worried about being embarrassed by them? I know when my little sister comes to visit, I try to keep her apart from all my friends, she's such a dweeb.”  
“See? That is just it,” she groaned, “Oh why now?”  
“Well lots of people travel for the holidays here on Midgard. It's the time to get together with family and friends.” Sophie shrugged, “We'll just have to make the best of it.”  
They stopped outside the kitchen doorway.  
“How?” Brenna leaned against the doorframe.   
Sophie thought for a moment, then clapped her hands together,“We'll make them supper.”   
“We?” Brenna regarded her curiously.  
“Yeah, we. Duh. I'm not going to let you panic all by yourself. I'm going to be here. I might as well help.”  
Brenna wrinkled her nose, “Help may be just what I need. They will be as unsused to Midgardian food as I was.”  
Sophie waved a hand at her, “We'll figure something out. How did you get past it. Didn't Chase buy you free range chicken and organic vegetables?”  
Brenna peeked into the kitchen where students and staff were peeling and chopping vegetables, laughing, talking, mixing, stirring, prepping.   
“He did indeed. I shall have to beg his assistance once more. And then there is Chase, himself.”  
Sophie was about to walk into the kitchen but turned to her, “What about Chase?”   
Brenna pulled her back from the doorway. “It is customary to ask permission to court a lady where I come from.”  
“Geez,” Sophie looked over to Chase sitting at one of the tables, peeling potatoes, “He would have to ask you father permission to date you? Talk about pressure.”  
“I was hoping maybe they would not find out about him at all.”  
“What are you going to do then?” Sophie put a hand on her hip, “..tell him he can't meet your family? He's going to be here for the Christmas season isn't he?”  
“I do not know. I will have to think about it. I will not tell him yet. I have to decide what to do.”

Chase looked up to see Brenna and Sophie heading towards him and held up a finger to his lips, giving Brian a scowl as Brenna reached the table. She sat down beside him, grabbing a peeler.  
“What did Miss Munroe want?”  
Brenna, thrown by the question, fumbled the peeler, dropping it on the table before she snatched it up again.   
“Test scores,” Sophie muttered.  
Brenna's eyes widened as she glanced first to Sophie then to Chase.  
“Yes, test scores. It seems I need a little....”  
“Tutoring.” Sophie finished as Brenna reached for a potato, her eyes still big.  
Chase watched them both, deciding to play along, “In what subject?”  
“Math.” Brenna said.  
“English!” Sophie piped up at the same time.  
“Both? I thought you were doing good with your schoolwork. Now are you going to tell me why you got called to Miss Munroe's office or am I going to have find out through the gossip mill?”  
She put her forehead down on the table, her arms dangling below, “You do not want to know.”  
“Yes I do or I wouldn't have asked,” he lay his head level with hers, “What's wrong?”  
“Director Fury called Miss Munroe to inform her that my family is coming to visit before Jul.”  
“Here?”  
Brenna's head shot up, “Yes here! Do you see? Is it not the worst news?”  
Chase sat back in his chair, “What? Your family visiting you is bad news? Seriously? The last time my parents saw the inside of this school is when they brought me here on the first day.”  
She put her hands to her face.  
“There's something else isn't there?” Chase leaned forward to look at her.  
“Do you recall who my father is?”  
Chase grabbed another potato. “Yeah.”  
“And do you recall who you are courting?”  
“Ah I get it, “Brian pointed at Chase with his peeler. “They do things old school, dude. You talking about asking daddy's permission to date his daughter.”  
She held out her hands at Brian while looking at Chase. “Exactly! Are you prepared to walk up to my father and say, “Excuse me, I would like to beg your leave to court Brenna?”  
Chase's peeling slowed ever so slightly, his response delivered in a voice that cracked, though he recovered quickly, “Yes...yeah, I mean what's the worse that can happen?”  
Sophie and Brian paused, even Brenna was staring at him as he continued.   
“He could say no, right? And then he would go home again. I mean its sorta symbolic anyway isn't it?”  
Brenna took one of the cleavers to chop her potato, punctuating her answer with the first slice. “It is still required where I come from and my father is notorious for his quick temper.”  
Chase smiled, “Well it's not like he's gonna have me beheaded.”  
“You hope,” Brian added, squealing as Sophie punched him in the arm.  
“Besides,” Chase ignored them, “If he says no are you going to break up with me?”  
Brenna flushed red, “No, I mean if I were concerned about disobeying him, would I still be here?”  
Chase seemed to relax, returning to his peeling with gusto, “So then it's just a formality.”   
He turned and caught Brenna's stare.  
“It does not mean you should take it any less seriously unless you are not serious about us.”  
Chase put his peeler down on the table with some force, “Now have I ever said I wasn't?”  
She looked down at the table, “No.”  
He gave a curt nod. “Okay, you want me to formally ask your father's permission then I will.”  
She cast him a shy smile thought she kept her thoughts to herself. She was in fact hoping Chase would show a bit of cowardice, maybe promise to stay out of the way while her family was at the school. To court under her parent's scrutiny was one thing. Had she been back in Asgard, visits would have been chaperoned, but to ask to court her when she was a world away? She could imagine her father's reaction already and she shuddered.  
There was nothing to be done about it though. She couldn't say she preferred they didn't visit because she was actually looking forward to seeing how Cait had grown, she missed her little brother too, and her mother. In fact, she had wanted nothing more, lately, than to curl up in her mother's lap as she rocked her, humming her favorite Asgardian lullaby even if she was much too big to do so nowadays. Her only concern was facing her father, deciding whether to ask him about what she'd learned of his past, wondering whether she really wanted to know the truth.

Her concerns abated ever so slightly the next morning, distracted as she was by the holiday. The students left at the school for Thanksgiving were gathered in the rec room with the large screen TV turned to the Macy's parade. The smell of turkeys pervaded the first floor. Brenna watched amazed, particularly by the giant balloons.  
“But how do they make them? How do they fly?”  
“Helium,” Sophie responded, “They pump them full of it.”  
“It's a gas.” Logan stood in the doorway, a beer in hand. “Balloons use hot air, not unlike a few politicians I know.”  
Brenna looked over her shoulder at him, “I do not get it.”  
Logan winked at her, “Of course not, doll.”  
She scowled at him before returning to the screen where there was a large marching band performing before a storefront.  
“Such interesting music.”  
“We ought to ask about a field trip to Macy's,” Sophie nudged her, “that place is amazing.”  
“Leave it to the women to plan a trip around shopping,” Dylan laughed, “Now you want a worthwhile field trip, give me tickets to the Jets anytime. We're not alone either, what does America turn to after the parade? Football games.”  
Logan nodded, “I'll drink to that”  
Kurt chuckled from his easy chair, “And a thousand other things.”  
“Pretty sharp, blue boy.”  
Brenna watched, amused, as Kurt's tail swished back and forth like a cat's until he patted it down into his lap. “You set a bad example for der children.”  
Logan's response was to give Kurt the finger, “How's that for a bad example?”  
“Par for der course, you overgrown backscratcher,” Kurt muttered.  
“Look at it snow, those poor kids,” Sophie pointed to the TV where a float was passing by the cameras in a flurry. Brenna looked out the windows to see the same scene. Big flakes dropped by the window on their way to the ground.   
“Hey how can Santa get here without snow for his sleigh?” Dylan laughed and Brenna's attention was drawn back to the TV.   
“He comes from the North Pole just to be in the parade?”  
Chase leaned over, patting Brenna's hand, “Remember what I told you? Santa isn't a real person.”  
Brenna nodded, “So you say, yet the children all wish to visit him with their gift lists.”  
She had been hearing from the grade school children all about Christmas for weeks now. Sophie had cautioned her not to say anything about Santa and she had obeyed, mainly because she herself was confused.   
“My Uncle Chris told me of Father Christmas.”  
“One and the same,” Chase nodded.  
“And,” Brenna added, “In Asgard, King Freyr visits the kingdoms during Jul, spreading harmony and light through the lands. My grandfather, Odin, headed the wild hunt, now it is my Uncle Thor's responsibility. Children leave their boots out filled with hay and sugar for the horses used on the wild hunt and received gifts for their kindness. My father used to join the wild hunt with the villagers. Now he hunts alone.”  
“But Santa is make believe,” Sophie added, “look I'll get you books, maybe it'll be easier to understand...oh!” She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her cell phone, finding a text on the screen. “Rachel and Brian say Happy Thanksgiving.”  
Brian, in a bold move, had asked his parents if Rachel could spend Thanksgiving with them in the city. They had been more than welcoming when Brian told them she would be spending it otherwise at the school that next day. Rachel, in turn, had lied to her parents, saying she was going to stay at the school to help with the Thanksgiving dinner for the students who had no home to go to. When Sophie had chided her, she reasoned she would be going home for Christmas anyway.  
“I think I can give up one Thanksgiving dinner to meet Brian's family.”  
So she had hurriedly packed for a couple of days and they'd left for New York that previous afternoon.   
“She says it's shitting cold at the parade..oops, sorry Professor.”  
Kurt smiled with a wave of his hand, “Screw it.”  
“What he meant,” Logan patted the back of Kurt's easy chair, “was fuck it.”  
Kurt closed his eyes and made the sign of the cross, “Lord give me der strength to stay my hands from der backscratcher's neck.”  
Logan reached down, ruffling Kurt's cobalt blue hair, “Forgive me father, for I have sinned.”  
He leaped backwards out of the way as Kurt's tail whipped about, “Verdammt noch mal alle in die Hölle!“  
“Hey, talk about a foul mouth!” Logan pointed his bottle at Kurt.  
“Look,” Sophie cried, “It's Santa!”   
Brenna stared hard at the TV where a large old man in a red suit trimmed with white fur, sat atop a sleigh on a float, laughing and waving.  
“That's it,” Chase hugged Brenna closer, his arm around her shoulders, “And now it's time to check on the dinner. I'm starving.”

 

Jesse watched the float move past the cameras and out of view, clapping slowly to herself. She was tempted to throw something sharp at the screen, would have in fact if she'd had anything remotely fitting the description in her possession.  
Pretty soon Leroy would be bringing her a turkey dinner complete with heavy cardboard eating utensils, they'd gotten smart after she'd planted her cute little spork in Leroy's arm. She would take the dinner and pretend to give thanks for all David Wells did for her. Director, lord and protector, saving her from herself.  
A commercial on the TV caught her attention. It showed a family of four. Mother, father and two children all smiles and goddamn happy hearts-and-flowers standing by a pool on a cruise ship. Another clip showing the parents dancing and sweating in an on-board night club, the children shooting down a slide into the pool. Then the name and logo, “Royal Caribbean” flash across the scene before it ended.  
She was going on a cruise someday soon if she had her way. She was going to be waited on hand and foot, getting whatever she asked for. And she knew how to get her way too. She had known since she was seven years old how to get what she wanted when her older brother had asked her to hold his dick one night after a shower and the next evening had given her his dessert. If she tried a bit harder in fact, she could probably get Doc Wells to bring her onto the ship piggyback. But David Wells was not in her plans, in fact he was only a stepping stone on her way out. A jailer she needed to get the keys from if she ever wanted to see the world outside on her own.   
Leroy was nolo contendre. He was immoveable. She was of the opinion that he was probably gay. After all, how could any red-blooded male resist the temptation of free pussy? She'd tried over the years a hundred times if she'd tried once to lure him into an entanglement but he'd just laughed at her. Maybe he was smarter than he looked. Just maybe.   
She heard the door at the end of the corridor unlock. Thank you Lord, for food so good and helping me do the things I should. Maybe she could knock an extra piece of pie out of him for a fondle. Most likely she'd get a cuff upside the head.  
“Jesse,”came the voice at the door, “Step back where I can see you.”  
She knew the peephole's limits. She drifted into the middle of the small room to stand as Leroy opened the door and picked up the large tray at his feet, setting it on the small table beside the TV, never taking his eyes off her for more than a second.   
“Happy Thanksgiving,” He crossed his arms and stood back. She couldn't refrain from at least trying once more to offer him a free ride. She hated him for knowing it. She should have planted that spork in his fucking eye instead. She smiled, sliding up to him and tugging on the belt of his guard uniform, wondering how fast she would have to be to unsnap the holster of his gun before he could grab her and toss her to the ground. She never got the chance though as he shoved her off before she could even bat her eyes.  
“But Leroy, the offer still stands. We could share dinner in your office. I could show you my imitation of a turkey..,”she winked at him, “Gobble gobble?”  
“Not a chance Jesse,” he smirked, “I would've thought you'd given up by now. Doc will be in later, he said to tell you to enjoy your dinner.”  
She smiled, “And will you tell him to shove it up his ass for me?” She turned her hands over, “Sideways?”  
Leroy's smile grew in return, “I'll do that. And you enjoy dinner for him.”  
He left the room, shutting the door behind him with a click, leaving her to daydream about the myriad ways she would like to see him end his days, all of them by her own hands. She sat down to her meal much lighter in spirits then, than she had been. She'd complain to David about him again of course, but it would go nowhere. Still she could hope, and scheme. Perhaps tying him by the neck off the lido deck of the cruise ship. He could be the evening's entertainment. Maybe today wouldn't be as bad as she expected. She picked up her cardboard fork and dug in.


	43. 43

The week after Thanksgiving, the school transformed into what Sophie termed Christmas central. The younger grades had been making paper chains in art class with scrapbook paper and they festooned the halls, reminding Brenna of the parchment stars and intricate snowflakes Helgi would cut out and hang above the mantle for Jul. Strings of lights soon joined them. The central tree in one corner of the rec room stood ready for the decorating party Friday evening. Christmas music was playing everywhere she went throughout the school.  
Brenna had been surprised. Not by the tree itself, explaining that they decorated a large evergreen tree in their dooryard to entice the tree spirits to come back in the spring.  
“But you have cut this tree down, the tree spirits will never come back. I do not ken.”  
They told her what the tree was for, however, so she went along with it though she privately lamented to Sophie the loss of a perfectly healthy tree.  
“So next year I'll beg Miss Munroe to get one of those trees with the root intact so we can replant it okay?” Sophie had promised, dragging her from the tree toward the kitchen.  
Brenna had brightened up at the prospect of baking for the holidays. She was looking forward to baking cookies and showing Sophie and Rachel how to make Jul bread. When she'd described it to them, they had laughed, telling her about the fruitcake stigma though she reassured them it would not be nearly as bad.  
Brenna, who had now joined in math class with the other students, was happy to see Nala had returned. She had taken the week of Thanksgiving off and she and her husband had traveled to her parents home in Maine to spend the holiday with them. Brenna was amused to see Nala fit herself behind the desk now that she was showing. Not long after Brenna's arrival at the school, she had announced she was pregnant. She had taken to wearing long high waisted dresses. A friend who frequently made clothes for her, had suggested she forget about pants suits for a while. That Friday afternoon as class let out, Brenna stopped at Nala's desk. “My family is coming to visit for the Jul holiday.”  
“That's wonderful,” Nala turned in the chair, wincing uncomfortably to face her, “You must be excited.”  
“Perhaps that is not the word, however, if you have questions about your heritage, you might venture to ask my father. He would know about the Jotuns.”  
She smiled thinly, “I wouldn't want to intrude on your visit.”  
“Not at all,”  
Anything to distract her father would be appreciated.  
Nala seemed doubtful, “Perhaps I will. I'd like to know if I'm in for any surprises with the baby.”  
“Are not all babies surprises?”  
Nala laughed, “They most certainly are.”

Brenna sat cross-legged on the couch, watching children running back and forth laughing, screeching. Kurt dodged between them on his way to a stack of totes. Professor Cain handed a string of lights around the tree to Logan who stood with his hand out, chomping on an unlit cigar looking for all the world like he would rather be strung upside down from the rafters with a weight around his neck.  
Sophie was taking the garland out of a green tote before her.   
“They had to get a nine foot tree. I hope we have enough garland.”  
“It is beautiful, so sparkly,” Brenna reached out, stroking the long silver strands.  
“So my parents are picking me up the twenty-third. I hope your parents come before then so I can help you with the dinner.”  
“Do you think everything will go well?” Brenna stepped to one side as the Burber twins flew past, “I mean the dinner and all.”  
“Sure,” Sophie handed her another garland which was soon snatched up by Logan with a grumble, “You said your family likes chicken. It's hard to screw that up. We can roast chickens the same way we roast turkeys. Lorie said she would help us with the vegetables and the dessert.”  
Brenna retreated to the couch behind her, “We shall need help for sure.”  
Lorie was the cafeteria supervisor, she had helped Chase find the free range chickens when the store bought ones made Brenna sick.  
“Did I miss anything,” came a voice behind her. She looked up, saw Chase take off his jacket and lay it on the arm of the couch she was sitting on. He plopped down beside her, lacing his fingers in with hers, “Besides you, I mean. Did you miss me?”  
Brenna poked him in the arm, “What do you think? You were gone most of the day. Are you going to tell me now where you went?”  
“Christmas shopping,” Brian dropped down on the opposite side of her and leaned back against the arm of the couch.  
“I see. Why could I not go with you?” She leaned against Chase, staring up at him.  
“Well you can't go with me when I pick out your present, silly. Presents are supposed to be a surprise.”  
“Oh.” She looked at the tree, feeling stupid.  
Chase winked at Brian, “You'll like this surprise, trust me.”

At least he hoped she would.

 

“Promise ring? Man what you promising her?”  
Brian looked into the jewelry cases before him as Chase took a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and unfolded it on the counter for the store clerk to look at.   
“Let me get the ruler.” The clerk reached below the counter, pulling out a long thin piece of plastic. “So you fooled your girlfriend into letting you trace her hand. Clever. What did you tell her?”  
“It was Thanksgiving and we were helping the students make those hand turkeys to cut out so I asked her to use her hand too and I stole one of the papers. Will it work?”  
The clerk, a smart dressed young man with a quick smile, put the ruler onto the paper and wrote down some measurements on a notepad beside him, “We can see. What were you looking at? Engagement?”  
“Nooo....well at least not yet,” Chase peered into the cases until he spied a bright silver band with the word “Love” stamped through it, the O holding an emerald. “Do you have her size in that one?”  
The clerk slid open the door at the back of the case, “This is a platinum band. The stone is emerald. Let me see,” He read the tag tied to it, “And it's a half size smaller than what she seems to wear but given that this was a tracing, it might work since tracing adds a size.”  
Chase looked at the price dangling off the string. It would take a chunk of the money from his account but he wanted it. Wanted to show her how serious he was.  
Brian shook his head, “You still ain't said what you promising her.”  
“I'm promising her that I love her alright. Geez does it matter?”  
Brian took the ring and looked at it, “Naw I was just wondering if you gonna give it to her before her daddy show up. I sure would hate to see you have to try and remove that little ring from your ass.”  
The clerk chuckled as Brian handed the ring back to him, “Do you need time to think about it?”  
Chase glanced at Brian, then about the jewelry store where other couples were standing, looking into the cases.  
“No,” He took out his wallet. “I'll take it.”  
The clerk walked them to the checkout counter, “If you need to get it re-sized just bring it back with the receipt. Once a month cleaning is free.”  
“You gonna give it to her for Christmas?”  
“That was the plan, yeah.” Chase took the little black velvet box the clerk handed him.  
“Good idea. You might want to wait.”  
Chase shoved the box and the receipt into the inside pocket of his jacket, “Maybe I'll just give it to her in front of him, how's that for balls?”  
“Hey it's your funeral, dude.”

 

He put his arm around Brenna's shoulders and was about to lean over and kiss her when he heard Logan call to him, “Hey loverboy, your turn at the tree. Help the Tool here with the garland.”  
“Yessir,” Chase hopped up from the couch as the younger students started to belt out “Jingle Bell Rock”  
Logan gave a salute, “And that's my cue. I'm outta here.”

After neraly two hours, the tree was finished. Better than half the school had filed in to admire it. Kurt had been assigned to read “Twas the night before Christmas.” to the younger students and as he began, Brenna chose to slip away.  
She had gathered a few cookies in a napkin from the tray on the ping pong table and was on her way out of the room when Chase caught up with her.  
“Where are you going?”  
She held up the cookies, “To my room to finish my homework before the weekend begins. I would rather not have a paper about the Vietnam war hanging over my head at the sledding party tomorrow.”  
Chase took the cookies from her, “I'll come with you then.”  
Brenna looked to where Kurt was sitting in an easy chair beside the tree, reading to a sea of children sitting on the floor before him. “I thought you would want to stay and hear the story.”  
Chase rolled his eyes, “Everyone knows this story. I'd rather come with you.”  
“Okay, but I must work. No movies, you know how they distract me.”  
“Okay Miss Rhodes Scholar, no movies, I swear it.” He put his hand over his heart.  
Twenty minutes later, Chase lay on his stomach across the bed, his laptop before him. Brenna sat up with her own laptop on her knees, back to the headboard, her legs draped over his. He would giggle every so often, inevitably drawing her attention to the screen each time until at last she sighed loudly.  
“Chase, your videos are no different than a movie. Why do you not do your homework while I do mine? Then you will have the whole weekend to relax.”  
He craned his neck about, “Because the only homework I got is a makeup lab for this morning's science class. I got lab time signed up for Sunday afternoon. I'm sorry, babe. I'll get out my earphones.” He started to reach into his jeans pocket and smiled, “Unless you want to be distracted.”  
He closed his laptop and set it on the floor, rising to his hands and knees.  
“Chase I am almost finished.” She moaned as she held her hands in front of her, “Please?”   
He took the laptop from her setting it on the nightstand beside her bed.  
“Be careful, that is not mine!” Her protest turning to a squeal as they fell to wrestling, laughing. She would get the upper hand more often than not. He was amazed at her strength but he finally managed to pin one of her arms, diving in for a breathless kiss, nibbling at her bottom lip until her struggling weakened, then ceased.   
She wrapped her free arm around his neck, pulling him closer to her as he loosed his hold on her other arm. His hand slid beneath her t-shirt, up her stomach, along her ribcage to rest at the satin edge of her bra. She breathed heavy into his mouth as his thumb traced lazy circles on the fabric, the nipple tightening as the movement sent electric shocks through her body. She began to respond in kind, pressing against him and he met her movement, returning it. This served to encourage further exploration, his hand slipping beneath her bra to cup her breast and she moaned as his fingers moved further upward, gently kneading.   
Her head was starting to swim, her hands to wander, emboldened by his attention. She slid her hands beneath his shirt, feeling the light hair line that started at his stomach and rose all the way to his chest where she planted her palms. He left her lips then to nip his way down her neck, stopping at the shell of her ear to whisper, “God, Brenna, I love you,” in a voice thick with desire.  
She felt his hand leave her breast, trailing down her stomach to loosen the button of her jeans, heard the purr of the zipper and then his fingers were slipping beneath the hem of her panties. All at once, her hand was atop his, her grip firm. She wriggled from beneath him to sit up, her heart pounding as if she'd run a race.  
Chase lay on his side, looking up at her back but when he reached up to rub it, she stiffened. He put his hands over his face, “Bren, geez, what's wrong?”  
She couldn't answer for a minute. She had felt him hard against her hip as he leaned back to undo her jeans, knew what he intended to do. Indeed, she had been of the same mind but all at once, it was as if her father had possessed her, filling her head with a sense of responsibility. It was maddening, yet she had to consider what would happen were they to couple. What if she became pregnant? She would surely have no say then, her father would take her back to Asgard if he had to chain her to him, she would never see Chase or Midgard again.   
“I cannot do this. Not now.”  
Chase sat up, leaned against the headboard, pulling her back to him. After a little resistance, she let herself lay back on his chest. “I thought you were as into it as I was. I'm sorry if I went too fast.”  
She shook her head, “I was, I am....I was....”  
Chase sat forward, moving her off him, “Oh man, wait. If you're worried about getting pregnant. I have protection, well I can get protection anyway it wouldn't take only a second....”  
She wrapped her arms around her knees, “Protection?”  
“Yeah, you know, like a rubber?” He smiled at her confusion, it had always plucked at his heart, how innocent she was.  
“A rubber what?” She tilted her head to look up at him.  
“Ah something to, you know, cover my....a condom....no?”  
She shrugged and he felt his face redden, a silly reaction considering what he'd been about ready to do.   
“To cover my thing...my, uh.....”  
“Your manhood.” she glanced at the zipper of his jeans as if she could see it and he crossed his legs, suddenly self conscious.   
“We have something similar in Asgard though they are made of animal intestines or bladder.”  
Chase's mouth dropped open, “That sounds like all kinds of wrong.”  
“They are well cleaned first. Honestly, you must think us animals,” she leaned back against the headboard.  
“Hey, I've never been to Asgard. I'm not one to judge. It just sounds kinda disgusting.”  
Brenna frowned, “There are many things you do here on Midgard which would sound similarly distasteful to us.”  
Chase sighed, “So you've said.”  
They lay there quiet for a while, he stroking her hair, “I'm sorry, alright. I didn't mean to scare you, Bren. I mean I was nervous my first time too. I was fifteen and I barely knew the girl. She was a friend of Brian's from his neighborhood.”  
She looked at him, “You coupled with her and you did not marry her?”  
Chase laughed so hard his stomach began to hurt, “Oh hell no, oh my god, Bren. It was a one-night stand. I never saw her again. Are you telling me at sixteen that you've never fooled around? Not even with those boys you talked about from your village?”  
She cringed, “Chase, please do not be mad with me at what I am about to tell you. I hope you will ken I was afraid that if I told the truth, they would send me back to Asgard.”  
Chase sat up to look down on her, “What.”  
She put her hands to her mouth, speaking through her fingers as if they would make the confession easier to bear, “I am only fifteen seasons.”  
Chase's eyes grew wide, “You said you were fifteen when we met, when you talked to Miss Munroe.”  
“I was afraid I would not be allowed to stay here. I turned fifteen on my birthday. Chase!”  
By then, he had leaped from the bed and was now pacing the floor, “Fifteen? Shit, does anyone else know?”  
“No, please forgive me. I would have told you if I had not been afraid you would be upset and I was right, was I not?” She stood up from the bed, buttoning her pants.  
“Well wouldn't you be mad if the girl you loved had been lying to you all along?” Chase threw his hands in the air.  
“Does it truly matter that I am but one season younger than you thought?” She grabbed his arm, “Do you not still love me?” Her throat started to tighten as tears threatened and he turned to her, taking her by the shoulders.  
“Don't you ever doubt it. Don't even think about doubting it,” he took a deep breath, rubbed her arms, “I'm just a little shocked is all what with the close call.”  
“I know and I am so sorry. I am not ready to give myself to you, yet,” she leaned her forehead against his chest, “I promise someday it will happen.”  
“It's alright, Bren,” He put his hand at the back of her head, playing with a strand of her hair, “I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. We've got all the time in the world. How young do people marry in Asgard?”  
“I know a couple of girls from Rialo who were wed at sixteen seasons. Their families were quite influential. They had substantial dowries and many suitors. The son of a very prominent Elder in Cole was wed at fifteen. But most are wed by their eighteenth season,” She gazed up at Chase, “What a strange question.”  
He rolled over onto his stomach, reached inside the inner pocket of his jacket where it lay beneath his laptop and pulled out the black velvet box. She had moved to lay beside him by then and when he handed the box to her, she sat up.  
“I was going to wait for Christmas but heck I can find another present. I can't wait that long.”  
He flipped open the top and took out the ring.  
“This is called a promise ring,” Her mouth hung open as he took her hand and tried her ring finger, letting out a held breath as it halted at first, then slid over her knuckle.  
“Love,” she read the stamped word, “Is that your promise?”  
“And a lot more,” He gazed at the ring, “Do you think I'll measure up to your father's standards?”  
“I do not know. I have never been courted before.”  
He lifted his head to look at her, “Really, you've never even dated anyone? Man, can I pick 'em.”  
“Do these promise rings work both ways?”  
Chase smiled, “Why, do you have a promise to me?”  
She nodded, “I promise that I will love you no matter what my father says.”   
She hugged him to her, emboldened by this solid declaration of his dedication to her, whether her father would approve of him or not was of little consequence. Her heart was well and truly taken.


	44. 44

He was agitated. He had missed the rabbit by mere inches, his mind everywhere but where it needed to be. Loki knew full well he had to hunt for his family but now, without Chris to talk to, the woods seemed to mock him with their silence, giving him plenty of time to ponder how lonely he'd become.  
Not that he didn't have Eidra to comfort him, she was his rock. But, he frowned to himself, a man needed other men for companionship as well. The men he knew in the village would not fit the bill either. He hated Petter with a passion. The physician was the last man he would wish to have a mug of ale with. The blacksmith, Vedic, was stoic, much too serious, friendly enough when it came to exchanging pleasantries but again, nothing nearing a friend. Most other men in town looked upon him with distrust or disdain. He wondered how long they would continue to do so. Had he not been living in the town for nearly nine seasons? When he would stop into the tavern for a drink, he would inevitably sit at an empty table.   
There were other issues troubling him too, pervading his thoughts as he sat with his back to a fallen log, reloading his crossbow. The following week would bring him to Midgard again. He was most eager to see Brenna, to check her progress at the Midgardian school. He was not, however, looking forward to New York. Eidra, on the other hand, was positively trembling with excitement. She had not left off talking of the trip for better than an entire moon. She wished to see Lily again though he admitted that he could not fault her for this. The agent had been the one person on Midgard he'd come to tolerate during their previous stay. The trip would also mean they would need to travel to Asgard for that had been the condition of the visit, they must use the Bifrost to reach Midgard. It also meant he would see his brother.   
He laughed to himself, ruefully. He was actually looking forward to seeing the blond oaf again. He scanned the forest, recognizing the futility of the day's effort, stood and stretched, picking up his crossbow and shouldering it as he headed through the woods to the trail for home. 

Eidra took one loop and set it over the nail, moving to the next loop.   
“Oh she will love it.”   
Sally felt the soft fiber of the shawl Eidra was blocking. She'd set a plank with nails evenly spaced to block other garments but this piece was special. She had wanted to make Brenna something that would remind her of home each time she used it and the lightweight shawl was perfect. She wished to preserve the openwork stitch she'd learned from the patterns she'd written down while in the hospital on Midgard. She was hoping she would get a chance to show Lily the shawl before she delivered it to Brenna.  
Fen had climbed onto a chair and now stood over the table watching her work the shawl into shape.   
“What are you doing, Mama?”  
“I am blocking the shawl so when it dries, it will stay open and pretty like it should.”  
She looked to the end of the table where he'd left his little knife and a half carved piece of wood. “And what are you carving?”  
“I am carving a fish, I want it to be a fish. I wish Uncle Chris were here to show me what to do.”  
“Well it will not carve itself,” She gave a nod.  
Sally shook her head as he jumped down from the chair. Helgi, sitting in the rocking chair with her knitting, pointed with one needle, “I shudder every time I see that boy with the knife.”  
“He must learn to wield it either way.” Eidra hooked another loop.  
Fen, possessing the ears of the young, suddenly dropped the knife onto the table again, running to the window by the door. “Papa is home!”   
Flinging the door wide open, Fen flew outside to meet him. In the pen on the floor beside Eidra, Cait squealed in response. Eidra looked down at her, receiving a smile in return. She had a tight grip on the wooden rattle Chris had whittled for her and she was shaking it up and down with a click clack sound. Sally had run to the door and shut it. “Boys, 'tis brought up in barns they are, forever leaving the doors open.”  
Helgi laid her knitting in her lap, “Are you going to tell him?”  
Eidra was setting the frame with the stretched shawl upon it near the fire to dry, “I fear that if I do, he shall not allow me to travel to Midgard.”  
Helgi picked up her knitting again, “It is early yet. There would be no harm.”  
Eidra was about to answer when the front door swung open and Fen ran inside followed more slowly by Loki who leaned his crossbow against the wall beneath the cloak pegs. “The hares outsmarted me this morn.”  
He swept Eidra into his arms, kissing the top of her head as she breathed in the scent of fresh air, damp wool and a musk uniquely his own. She buried her face in his shoulder, feeling his arms gather her in but Fen was soon pulling him away towards the table to show him how he had progressed with his carving.  
“It matters not,” Eidra soothed him, “we have venison in the pot.”  
He admired Fen's work and was now bending over, scooping up Cait who could hardly contain her excitement, burying her hands in his hair as he bussed her cheek, laughing at her squeak of joy. He sat down with her on his lap, warming himself before the fire, Fen trying at the same time to insinuate himself under one arm and as he looked up at Eidra he saw a glance pass between her and Helgi. When Eidra turned to him, catching his stare, she immediately set to busying herself again. Something was amiss but he let it slide for the moment.  
“Eidra.” He set Cait back down on the blanket in her pen where she began to fret. Eidra made to pick her up again but Loki took her hand, “Helgi, will you tend to Cait? We are going to check on Blackberry's progress.”  
The mare had begun her labor and he had been keeping a watch on her. Helgi set her knitting down once again to pick up a wailing Cait. “Go on then, she will stop when you are out of sight.”  
Loki took Eidra's cloak from the peg, threw it around her shoulders, guiding her out the door, missing the look she gave to Helgi before the door shut behind them.

Blackberry was laying on her side in her stall when they reached the stable, shaking their cloaks free of the light snow that had started to fall. The mare raised her head and snorted at them, her sides heaving.  
“I will stay with her tonight, to see that all goes well,” Loki sighed, “I would not lose both mare and foal to inattention.”  
The light was already starting to wane as they stood at the stall gate and Eidra drew her cloak tighter to her, “You should bring a brazier to the barn.”  
“I shall if I start to feel the cold.” Which he had not in all his life, “I will bring a blanket back out with me,” he cast a sideways glance at her, “Unless I were to have someone here to keep me warm.”  
She closed her eyes as his fingers slid across the nape of her neck, beneath the tumble of dark curls to rest firm on her shoulder. Her pulse quickened with the touch of his lips at the hollow of her throat. Her hand rose to rest at the back of his head, the other holding tight to the gate as she melted into him, letting his kisses infuse her senses. He trailed upwards, his tongue tracing a line along her neck until he was at her ear whispering, “My minx, what is it you are hiding from me?”  
She bit her lip hard but couldn't contain the giggle that escaped her. She heard the humor in his voice, “Aha, tell me why do you even try after all these seasons together?”  
She covered the hand at her shoulder with her own, “Some secrets are not to be shouted from the mountaintops, rather they must be whispered in confidence.”  
He paused, waiting.  
“I have not bled this moon,” Felt his other hand steal across the swell of her breasts as he took her in a fierce hug.  
“As I had hoped. Perhaps another son?”  
She lay her head on his chest, “Then shall we be even. Two boys, two girls. We may always hope but I shall take what we are given.”  
He pulled his cloak around them both, “We shall be blessed. Perhaps it would be wise to consult the Midgardian physician who delivered Cait to assure all is well with you when we travel to see Brenna.”  
Surprise was clear upon her face, “Truly?”  
“I shall not risk your life nor that of our child though I despise the vulgar Midgardian ways. You are of utmost importance to me.”  
She snuggled closer to him, feeling safe and happy, content.

Later that evening after having settled Fen in his bed, seen Cait in with Helgi, she took her heavy coverlet, wrapped it about her and returned to the barn where she found Loki settled on a bale of hay, plaiting a length of rope by the light of the lantern hanging on the beam above the stall, his breath vapor in the cold night air. She sat beside him, offered part of the coverlet which he refused. They remained then in comfortable silence, listening to the mare's heavy breathing punctuated by a weak whinny here and there. Lulled by contentment, she fell into a light doze at his side only to be startled awake when he stood up and walked to the stall door.  
“Her water has broken, it shant be long now.”   
She stood, joining him though she kept a safe distance as Blackberry's ears flattened to her head and she struggled to stand in her final minutes. With a loud sigh from Blackberry, the foal's forelegs finally appeared, straight and spindly as she pawed the ground, her whole body seeming to tense as the snout poked through.  
“Poor thing, I know just how she feels.” Eidra murmured.  
Another heaving grunt and most of the foal was out. Blackberry dropped on her side into the hay, curling in on herself at the final push as the foal slid out onto the straw.   
“It looks to be a boy,” he gave Eidra a wink, lacing his fingers in with hers, “A good omen, I think.”   
The foal raised his head once or twice as Blackberry began to lick it clean, rolling it over on occasion with her rough ministrations.  
“We shall have to think of a name for it.”  
Eidra clung to his arm, teased, “You will not allow Fen to name this one?”  
“No, this shall be my choice.”   
They watched the foal stare about the stall, its large brown eyes blinking each time Blackberry roughed its pelt with her long tongue. Its coat was a dark wet brown, with a small white patch at the sternum but Loki knew once dry, it would turn out a shiny rich chestnut like its mother. The foal tipped forward as it tried to gain its balance, gathering its legs beneath.   
“Agathon.”  
Eidra wrinkled her nose at the sound, “A strange companion to Blackberry and Lightning.”  
“It means honorable, good. Would you prefer that for our son?”  
She poked him in the ribs as he chuckled, “Then Agathon it is. Now head inside before you take a chill. I will follow when I am sure the foal is recovered.”  
She did not protest, instead headed back to the cottage. As she closed the door, she heard Sally's sleepy voice from her bedchamber, “Is she delivered?”  
Eidra peered into the darkened room, just able to make out Sally's form in her bed, “She is. A beautiful stallion. With any luck he will be a fine stock. We may stud him in the village when he is old enough,” here she grinned, “Loki named him Agathon.”  
Sally laughed, “ 'Tis an odd name but so be it. I shall see ye in the morn.”

The sky had already started to lighten when Eidra felt his weight upon the mattress. He curled up to her back, reaching around her stomach to feel Cait tucked into the crook of her arm, a chubby fist gripping a handful of her gown.   
“Is all well?” She glanced over her shoulder.  
“The young prince has fed and now rests with his mother. I see the princess hath been restless.”  
“She hath.” Felt him touch Cait's head lightly then return to her waist where his arm remained until he dropped to sleep just as the sun's rays tipped the horizon.

 

The week ahead was filled with anticipation as they readied to travel to Asgard and thus to Midgard. Helgi kept protesting, digging in her heels whenever Eidra prodded her to pick her best dresses to pack but Eidra would not back down and threatened to choose for her instead. In the end, Helgi had picked a dark blue velvet gown with a flowered bodice and her green linen piece.  
Fen was beside himself, unable to sleep at night until exhaustion forced his hand. During the day he was unable to talk of anything save the trip. Eidra would try to soothe him though she too felt the rush of excitement. Cait seemed to feel the change in mood and would coo and squeal while she watched Fen race around the cottage expending his endless wealth of energy. Even Loki seemed unusually jovial as he packed the suits Stark had given him carefully in the trunk. “I should see if Stark could procure a dress for you as well. To Midgard, our garments seem ancient.”  
“I like our style of dress, fie upon them if they do not,” she retorted secretly hoping he would ask anyway.  
Preparations were made for Sally to tend to the farm while they were gone as the days fell away until the morning Eidra tiptoed into Fen's dark bedchamber and shook him gently.   
“Today is the day.”   
Fen was out of the bed before she had chance to straighten up rushing past her to the bedchamber door yelling “Papa! Papa! Are we leaving yet?”  
By sunup, they would be on the road to Asgard.


	45. 45

“Now, ye mind yer mother, child,” Sally enfolded Fen in her plump arms, planting a kiss on his forehead.  
“Yes Aunt Sally.”   
The boy was quivering like an animal that had been spooked so she let him go. He leaped up into the wagon where he stood waiting for Helgi who was pinning her cloak together.   
“Are you sure you will fare well alone?”  
“Ye know they will drag ye kicking and screaming. Give in, me friend.” Sally smiled, hugged Helgi tight, holding her hand to help her into the back of the wagon where she settled in beside Fen. Eidra sailed from the cottage with Cait bundled in a heavy blanket.  
“Nappy changed, again,” she shook her head, giving Sally a one armed hug. Sally leaned over, kissing Cait's head.   
“Ye take care now. Don't fret over the farm. I'll be taking good care of it.”  
Eidra handed the baby up to Loki and climbed up into the wagon seat beside him, “We will be five days at the most, I promise. When we reach Asgard, we shall stay the night tonight and leave for Midgard on the morrow.”  
“No hurry, enjoy yerself and give me love to Brenna.”  
Lightning started forward as Loki snapped the reins, Fen and Helgi waving at Sally until she was no longer visible.  
Cait's eyes were wide, watching the scenery fly by as she sat on Eidra's lap. Loki would glance over at her every so often and smile, rub her head. “She takes everything in does she not?”  
“She does. She will be a bright child.”  
“Fen, sit still!” Helgi cried, “Eidra will you make that boy stay beneath the blankets, he will catch his death.”  
“Fen,” Loki grumbled, “Mind Helgi.”  
“But Papa, I am too excited.” His head appeared between them as he leaned to look between the backrest of the seat.  
“Loki, stop the wagon.”   
He pulled the horses up short as Eidra turned handing the baby down into the wagon bed behind her.   
“Helgi, take Cait.” She climbed into the back of the wagon, slid beneath the blanket, handing the coverlet she'd been using on her lap to Fen.   
“Now go up to the seat and sit beside your father but mind yourself lest you suffer the consequences.”  
Fen fairly leaped over the back of the seat to settle in beside Loki, straining forward as if by doing so, he could make the wagon fly faster.  
“To what do I owe this honor?” Loki looked over his shoulder to Eidra.  
“Some measure of peace and quiet.” Eidra poked him in the small of the back and he sighed as they started off again.

By midday, they were better than halfway to Asgard. Fen had fallen asleep, his head on Loki's lap. Helgi was asleep as well, leaning back against the fresh hay, her mouth open in a soft snore. Eidra was nursing Cait. She would make faces at Cait who would stop suckling to smile around her nipple making Eidra giggle until there were tears in her eyes.  
Loki had twisted around to join in, letting Lightning follow the path and soon they were both laughing.   
“Silly girl,” Eidra cooed. She looked up at the road before them. “It is not much longer now is it.”  
“It is not.” They were passing some of the farthest fields of the palace, outside the city limits. “I would let them sleep.”  
Eidra winced as Cait bit down, “Soon little one, you shall be on solid food.” She detached Cait hefting her over her shoulder, rubbing her back until she made a small burp, then snugged her beneath the blankets again, watching as her eyes drifted close.  
“What do you hope for when you see Brenna?”  
Loki had faced the road again but turned to the side, “What do you mean?”  
“Well, do you hope she will come home?”  
“I have no further illusion that she will come with us willingly. I do hope she is safe and happy. I would not tolerate the Midgardians treating her poorly.”  
Eidra touched her lips to Cait's forehead, “Oh Loki, come now. Do you think she herself would tolerate being treated badly. She would have asked to come home long ago were this the case.”  
“If she be as stubborn as you, she might well endure just to spite us,” Loki mumbled, receiving another poke from Eidra.  
“Perhaps she has matured in her time away. Maybe a conversation which does not involve disagreement is possible.”  
He smiled, a thin lipped grin, “You speak of our daughter do you not?”  
“Loki! You could try to engage her you know. Be not the parent, but the friend.”  
He hunched forward at the reins, “She has her own friends, I am sure. Parents are to be listened to, obeyed.”  
“And she has a long history of disregarding our every word. You must be able to talk to her. She is nearly an adult herself. She is fifteen seasons,” She watched his back, “You must begin to see her as such. Do you not think it is time?”  
“We shall see.”  
The spires of the palace poked over the edge of the horizon just then and Loki shook Fen,“We are nearly there.”  
Fen whirled about, hanging over the back of the bench seat.   
“Mama, look,” He pointed behind him at the sun glinting off the highest spires of the palace, pennants fluttering from the lofty walls, “Asgard!”

When they passed through the gates into the main courtyard of the palace, Loki had to hold Fen in the seat until the wagon rolled to a stop. Thor was standing on the steps waiting and he trotted out to meet them, picking Loki up in a bear hug as he stepped down from the wagon.  
“The guards on the walls spotted you and alerted me you were nearly here!”  
“Gods! So you seek to crush me with kindness?”  
Behind Thor, Loki saw Silas standing at attention, a broad grin on his face to match his stature. He had grown into a giant of a man, wide in the shoulders, barrel chested. Each time he saw him, Loki could scarce reconcile him with the same small boy from so many seasons past.   
Thor waved to a servant boy who stood apart from them, at the ready by Lightning's head.  
“Stable the horses and see that their trunks are brought to the Prince's bedchamber.”  
The boy bowed deeply, “Yes, your Majesty,” grabbed the reins and led the wagon away through a far arch leading further into the palace grounds.   
“Mother is ecstatic that you have come. She is waiting in the arboretum eager to see the new princess, come.”

As they followed Thor through the halls, Eidra fell in beside Silas who smiled down at Cait as she drooled onto her fist.   
“You have grown so.” Eidra murmured, “How fares Ingrid? Gunnar must be half your size by now.”  
Silas chuckled, “He keeps Ingrid busy but he is a good boy. Ingrid is well, she was delivered of a daughter this moon past. We named her Eidra. I hope this pleases you.”  
Eidra watched the familiar blush creep up his neck and couldn't help a tear which sprang to her eye unbidden. “I feel most honored to be remembered so fondly in such a way. I hope to see the babe before we return to Rialo. You must make it a point to visit during the warmer months.”  
“Indeed we shall.”  
They could smell the arboretum before they could see it. The flowers were perpetually in bloom in the heat generated by the steam pipes which kept it as warm as springtime. Frigga was sitting by the fountain in the center. She held open her arms when she saw Fen. He ran to her, enfolded in the flowing sleeves of her gown.  
“My little prince. You are so much bigger than when I last saw you.”  
“Greetings Mother.”  
She looked up at Loki as he bent down and kissed her cheek. She reached up then and touched his temple, “Look at the silver in your hair?”  
“ 'Tis but a few strands,” he straightened again, “How kind of you to notice.”  
She laughed at his thin lipped frown, taking a handful of her own iron gray curls, “My son, each strand is a testament to courage in the campaign to raise two headstrong sons and a husband at the same time. You have cut it again?”  
Loki nodded, “In mourning for a friend.”  
She was at once serious, “I am so sorry. You were very close?”  
“We were.” He looked about the arboretum at the flowers and trees in an effort to clear his mind of the memories that flooded in each time he thought of Christopher.  
Cait chose that time to squeal and Frigga stood up, approaching Eidra who curtsied as best she could with her arms full of squirming baby.   
“The littlest princess! Oh is she not precious? What did you name her?”  
“Cait,” Loki replied.  
Frigga tickled her back and she squealed again, “How lovely, how old is she now?”  
“Four moons, your Majesty.”  
Frigga took Eidra's free hand, “Must I insist you address me as Mother each time we meet, my dear?”  
Eidra curtsied again, “Of course not,....Mother.”  
“Oh it sounds so much better. Now she is four moons yet she too has not been marked and recognized? We should see to it while you are here, Loki?”  
Thor nudged him, “I have pressed him to do so in the past Mother. Perhaps you might sway him.”  
“We shall see,” Loki muttered, “I must think of the trip now.”  
Frigga held out her arms to Cait. Still of an age where she had no fear of strangers, the baby leaned over to fall into her embrace.   
Fen had taken to running around the fountain with Helgi following after, trying to corral him.   
“Helgi,” Frigga called to her, “Are you certain you will not return to the palace to work?”  
She put her hand atop Fen's head where he spun in circles giggling, “At times like this, your Majesty, I am inclined to consider it.”  
Frigga let loose a musical laugh, kissed Cait who had the ruby and gold necklace Frigga was wearing, firm in one hand, trying to bring it to her mouth.   
“There will ever be a place for you, good woman, now come, we were holding the evening meal for you in the Great Hall.”  
Helgi had hung back intending to visit with Volsa and Artra while they dined but Frigga, as she passed, said, “You as well, Helgi. You are Loki's family are you not?”  
“Yes your Majesty,” With a curtsey, she dutifully followed them out of the arboretum and down the hallway.   
Frigga insisted on carrying a happy Cait, keeping close to Eidra as they walked so they might speak. “I have been without a baby for too long now, Sif keeps the crown prince Lóriði at her side night and day as if she fears he will be taken from her. I hardly know him and we reside in the same palace.” She cuddled Cait close, “She is such a well behaved lady.”  
Eidra gazed into Cait's sweet face, “Until she wishes to nurse, or is wet. She could shatter glass with her cries.”

The Great Hall was ablaze with candles, torches braziers to ward off the cold air endeavoring to find its way through the high arches lining the balcony. The long table was set with silver and gold chalices, long polished wooden trenchers, ornately carved plates and bowls. Servants carried in trays of food. In the absence of great feasts, the family occupied one end of the great table. Sif, a fussy Prince Lóriði who seemed to be playing a game of up and down in his chair, and Odin were already seated. Odin had dozed off but when they entered the room, Sif shook him, “Allfather, they are here.”  
Odin awoke with a snort, scanning the group. Fen backed into Eidra's stomach.  
Loki tensed as Odin picked up the chalice of wine before him with a trembling hand, his gaze coming to bear on him, “You are late. Sit.”  
Thor bowed, “Forgive us, Father, we fetched Mother from the arboretum.”   
Thor had confided in Loki as they approached the hall that father had worsened in his old age. He had become forgetful, confused. He would talk of the dead as if they still lived. He cared little for what he said or to whom he said it. Thor implored Loki to have patience and he had promised to try his best.  
Fen had firmly ensconced himself between Frigga and Eidra in an effort to hide from Sif's steely gaze as Loki held Eidra's chair for her. Thor took a seat beside Sif who had by then handed Lóriði off to a nursemaid who had taken the still discontented boy from the room for his supper in the nursery.  
The meal began pleasantly enough as everyone, being hungry from the long trip, fell to eating. Eidra mashed the boiled potatoes on her plate, cooling them to give to Cait who sat, mouth open like a hungry bird as Frigga fawned over her.   
“Such an appetite.” Fen had crawled into her lap yet again and was now making faces at Cait, trying to get her to laugh. In an unguarded moment, Eidra happened to glance about the table first to Loki who fixed her with a beatific smile then to Odin who was only interested in getting the food down his throat, to Thor who held a chalice he was rolling in his hands as he grinned across at his brother. As she came to Sif she was shocked to see a look of pure venom upon the queen's face, staring hard at Frigga as she played with Fen and Cait. When her gaze shifted to Eidra, however, she smiled and nodded, returning her attention to her half finished meal leaving Eidra with the sickening surety she dared never leave her children in Sif's care.   
“Your Majesty, might I be excused?” Helgi stood and bowed.  
Frigga nodded, “Paying a visit to your old friends?”  
“Yes, your Majesty,” Helgi glanced at Eidra.  
“Off you go then.” Frigga dismissed her with a wave as she bowed again and headed out of the Great Hall. It was then the conversation started.  
“Odin, I may have convinced our son to have the children marked and recognized while he is here,” Frigga stroked Cait's soft downy hair.  
“It is well past time for such a thing. Thor, see to it. The children of a prince, above all, should be recognized as one of the Aesir.”   
“Yes Father.”  
“Thor tells me you travel to Midgard on the morrow to visit my oldest grandaughter though he has yet to tell me why she resides there and not in Asgard.”  
Thor covered his mouth, his eyes to the ceiling as Loki cleared his throat, “She ran from home when she was not allowed to stay here in the palace. She found herself on Midgard.”   
Loki waited, hands clasping the arms of his chair.  
“She is as wild as you were.” He spat. His attention wandered for a moment as he stared into his cups, “Always disobeying your mother and myself, the both of you.”  
Thor hid a smile which grew as Loki's appeared, “We were boys, it was in our nature.”  
“But not in the nature of a girl. They must be made to obey, made to be ladies. It would be better were she able to learn the ways of palace life,”   
“Father, we have discussed...” Loki interrupted but Odin continued.  
“I have said it before and I shall say it a thousand times, structure, discipline, decorum. Those are the building blocks of good breeding.”  
Loki held his breath, trying to think of anything save the hundred retorts running through his mind as Odin paused.  
“You have married, Thor told me.”  
Odin had been informed of the marriage when they had visited that spring but Loki cared not to correct him, “Yes Father,”  
“And your son and daughters, they are of one mother?”  
Loki had been about to answer but was stopped short as Eidra spoke up, “They are of one father, Sire.”  
Odin fixed Eidra with his eye though he spoke not to her but to Loki, “She is bold, Loki. Brave. Does your stock measure the same?”  
“One that we are sure of, the others are young as of yet.”  
“Why have you not moved back to Asgard?” Odin held up his chalice and a servant moved to fill it. Another servant at Loki's elbow moved to refill his chalice as well but he moved his hand over the top and the servant retreated.  
“I have pondered finding a cottage in a village closer to the palace.”  
Eidra's head swung around at the same time she heard across the table, a cough and a sputter mingled with a cry, “Truly, brother?”  
Eidra looked over to Thor and Sif. Thor wore a look of unabashed excitement but Sif's face was one of raw hatred as she glared first at Loki then at Fen and Cait and Eidra realized at once that Sif was jealous of her children. For what reason she knew not but there it was.  
She looked back to Loki who was taking a draught from his chalice, catching his eye as he dropped it from his lips. He winked at her then and she settled back in the chair, perplexed. Cait had started to fuss again, rubbing her face at the swell of Eidra's breast.   
“She wishes to nurse.” Frigga took Cait while Eidra unlaced her gown, returning the baby to her arms where she settled in. Almost immediately Cait's eyes began to drift shut.   
“It has been a busy day,” she whispered to Frigga as they gazed down at Cait's content face.  
As Odin finished another chalice of wine, Eidra wished silently that he would stop but to no avail.   
“It would be most welcome to have my sons together again in harmony with their families and heirs,” He swung his gaze to Sif who made to study the contents of her cup.  
“Nothing is set in stone, Father. It is a great undertaking to uproot one's family from the only home they have known. There must be more discussion upon it.”  
Odin set his chalice down, covering the top with his hand, “See that you do. When you are returned from Midgard, we shall see the children recognized,” He stood, the rest of the table standing in respect, “I grow weary. If you will excuse me, I shall beg my leave.”  
He nodded around the table as Thor moved to his side, “Let me see you to your chamber, Father,” Thor waved to Loki, “Walk with us brother.”  
Loki stood with a loud sigh, leaning over Eidra, “Retire to our bedchamber and settle in the children. I will not be long.”  
“Move closer to Asgard?” she whispered, “How is it you have not spoken with me upon this?”  
He leaned closer, his lips touching her ear, “I wished to observe something. We shall talk of it later.”  
“Sif?”  
His eyes met hers, “How did you know?”  
“I am a woman, I am not ignorant. Go with your brother.”  
She closed her eyes as he kissed the line of her jaw.  
“I will be brief.”  
Eidra watched them walk out of the Great hall, Thor supporting Odin by one arm, then she withdrew her nipple from Cait's slack mouth, smiling as the baby suckled in her sleep and turned to Frigga. “I must get the children to bed, we will have a big day on the morrow. Will you walk to the bedchamber with us?”  
Frigga's face seemed fairly to glow, “I would love nothing better.”   
She set Fen down on the floor and took his hand, Eidra rising from the table, feeling Sif's stare bore through to her very soul as they retreated from the hall.  
Once in the hallways, she felt safer.  
“Was Loki serious about moving closer to Asgard? Would we have the pleasure of seeing our grandchildren more often?” Frigga squeezed Fen's hand.  
“I do not know. He has not consulted me as of yet.” She listened to the sounds of palace life, the voices, shuffle of the servant's slippers as they walked the corridors, the shouts, peal of the bells. She confessed to herself she did miss some of this.  
“I do hope you will.” They entered the bedchamber where a cot had been set up for Fen and a cradle for Cait much to Eidra's relief. She laid the baby down beneath the satin edged coverlet. “If she wakes I shall change her. For now I will enjoy the peace.”   
Frigga brought Fen to the cot where she picked up a silk robe nearly identical to the ones Loki had hanging in his wardrobe in Rialo. He had brought them from Asgard when last they had visited though he rarely wore them, preferring a linen nightshirt or nothing at all in the summer months. He claimed the robes were much too fine for the life of a farmer, admitting he kept them purely for sentimental reasons. She wondered that he'd kept them at all.  
“This is yours, Fen. Go put it on.”  
Eidra was relieved to see Fen had recalled his manners as he took it with a bow. In seconds he was back to stand before the fireplace, his hands in the air. “It is long, is it a dress, grandmother?”  
“No, it is a fine robe, it is lined, 'twill keep you warm. How handsome you look.”   
Fen pursed his lips a dubious look upon his face, “Thank you, grandmother.”   
Eidra suppressed a giggle as Frigga rolled her eyes to the ceiling.  
“Men miss the finer points in life do they not?” She gazed about the room, “I will let you to rest, my dear.”  
Frigga took Eidra's face in her hands and kissed her forehead, “It would be a joy to have such a gentlewoman as yourself a regular in the palace.”  
“Thank you....mother,” She curtsied again and with a smile, Frigga drifted from the room, leaving Eidra alone with her thoughts.

 

Loki sailed down the corridor, eager to return to Eidra. He had accompanied Odin to his bedchamber, helping Thor to settle him in but once out in the corridor, Thor had stopped him.  
“Until this night, I did not know if Father was aware of Sif's indiscretion, now I am sure.”  
Loki reassured him that there was little chance of Odin knowing much in his condition but promised to visit with him as soon as he saw Eidra to bed.  
He had rounded the corner of the hall, a few feet from his door when a young woman stepped from the shadows and he immediately recognized Astrid's assistant.  
“My mistress has learned you are here in the palace, Milord. She wishes to speak with you, it is urgent.”  
He held his composure though he was startled, “I am about to retire for the evening.”  
She bowed low, “It is of utmost importance.”  
“If it be so important, why does she not come to see me herself?” he started for his bedchamber again but she bowed once more.  
“Please, I implore you. My mistress no longer stirs from her bed. She is not long for this realm.”  
He cast a glance down the corridor to his door, “Very well, lead on but I cannot stay long.”

Astrid lay amidst a mound of pillows, her snow white hair spread about like a halo. When Loki entered her room, she raised her head with a cackle, “You found him, praise Odin. Come, boy.”  
Loki approached the bed but only after she patted the pillows beside her did he sit down, hands folded in his lap, “What is it you wish to tell me crone?”  
“You always have a kind word for old Astrid.” She patted his hands, her gnarled fingers surprisingly soft, “I have nothing save a warning that has come to me for a fortnight now.”  
She lifted his hands and held them between hers, “I do not always know to what my visions refer but hear this, you must make amends. There will come a time when it will mean life or death to you, my young prince.”  
Amends? To whom? For what?” he slid his hands from her grasp.  
“I do not know.”  
He could think only of New York. There was little chance of making amends there, with the atrocities he had committed upon the city and its citizens. She was speaking of an impossible task. “I cannot do what you ask.”  
“You must save one to save both.” Astrid's sightless eyes scanned the room, “Without the power of transformation, the butterfly will remain a caterpillar.”  
She waved to her assistant who raised her to sit up and she put her hand to his face, “You must remember what I have told you or nothing to come will seem wondrous. Go now and tend to your wife, she waits.”  
Astrid reclined back to the pillows, out of breath but with a smile on her face, “I have done my chore.”

Loki rose from the bed to back from the room, wishing to put as much distance between him and Astrid as was possible.   
He was nearly at a run when he reached the bedchamber. He opened the door and stood there. Fen was fast asleep as were Eidra and Cait. The fire was low, the braziers at the portico aglow, , warming the room. He turned away to start back down the corridor the way he had come.  
Eidra sat up at the muffled thump of the closing door. She swung her legs over the floor and stood, shivering at the cold marble against her bare feet. She trotted to the door, cracking open to catch a glimpse of his robe as it swirled around the far corner of the hallway. After a glance back at the children asleep in their beds, she closed the door and ran to catch up with him.  
Further into the palace they went, her stomach filling with sick dread as she began to consider where he was heading.  
She stopped a few yards behind him, unwilling to call out his name for fear he would be angry with her for following him. The reliquary doors made a hollow groan as he opened them to slip inside. She edged near to the doors, peering into the crack between them. There were objects in the long chamber she knew nothing of but the one object he paused in front of made her heart pound so hard she could scarce keep her feet. What could she do? Could she knock him to the ground, should she run to Thor?   
He stood still, staring at the glowing blue cube. She could see his hands trembling even from such a distance. If he touched the Tesseract again, she feared everything would be lost, her life would be over if she were to lose him to such evil. Such poison would destroy him. She had at one time hoped he would someday divulge to her what had truly happened, to free his mind and soul. When he had finally given in, she had been surprised, hopeful he would tell her the rest of what she already knew.  
When Loki had returned to Tir Na Nog to fetch Chris and Sally, Eidra begged Helgi to tell her what she knew of Loki's absence, his imprisonment. What had transpired when he had been separated from her. Helgi resisted, telling Eidra that there were things much too horrible to be spoken of but Eidra insisted. How could she help heal him if she did not know what to say to him?   
Eventually Helgi told Eidra of New York. Silas had been made to stand witness to the testimony of his various crimes when he returned from Midgard, a scarred, broken man. Completely mad, he had been branded a murderer. The Chitauri had well and truly made him their puppet, using his grief and anger to their advantage, pushing him to lie, kill. Eidra, listening in stunned silence, had considered leaving before he returned. Taking Brenna and running in fear. Instead she waited for him, prepared to beg him to bare all before her but when he had come home with Chris and Sally, taken her in his arms and wet her bodice with his tears, she held him, declaring her undying love over and over. It mattered not, she loved him more than her own life and now, watching him stare into the depths of pure evil, she thought to herself, she would do all she could to stop him from descending into that madness again.  
Suddenly, he pivoted on his heels. She backpedaled away to hide in the shadows just as he burst through the door, her eyes shut tight, fearing he would see her but he kept going. After a minute she followed behind, keeping her distance wondering where he would go. If he entered the bedchamber and found her missing, he would wonder where she was though there was nothing for it. She could not make the room before him. All at once he stopped a few doors down at Thor's bedchamber and knocked gently. Loki entered as the door opened, a spill of light running into the corridor then disappearing as the door closed behind him. She tiptoed swiftly past to their bedchamber where she leaped into bed and dove beneath the coverlet though she need not have hurried as he did not soon follow. She lay there waiting until finally sleep overtook her just before Loki returned, starting her awake again. She did not move, felt the bed sink as he lay down, gathering her in his arms, his lips to her forehead. She sunk against him, her hands entwined in his as she tried to put such fearful thoughts from her head to concentrate on the morrow. They would soon be back in Midgard.


	46. 46

Fen bounced onto the bed as Eidra opened her eyes and looked at Loki. “We shall have to tie him down. Perhaps you should use your petrifying spell. It works well with your brother.”  
Loki smiled but her view was soon replaced with Fen's face lying between them. “Is it yet time to go?”  
“What about the morning meal?” She drew him to her, kissed his cheek as he struggled to free himself.  
“Mama I am too excited to eat.”   
“Well Cait will not be. She will wish to eat first,” Even now she could hear Cait stirring in the cradle as Loki rose to fetch her.  
“I cannot wait, Mama!” Fen leaped off the bed and ran out to the balcony, looking out over the railing at the city below.  
“Fen you stay well away from there!” Eidra called to him. When Loki set Cait in her arms, she felt the heavy wetness at her bottom. “You are soaked my little lamb.”  
Loki walked out to the balcony to stand beside Fen, “When we are on Midgard, you will see many wondrous things. We have let the machine age pass us by here on Asgard. Magic is our mechanism.”  
“What will I see, Papa?”  
Loki looked out to the Bifrost, some distant. “You shall see horseless wagons, moving paintings, flying machines...”  
“Flying machines? So the Midgardians have magic too?” Fen peered over the edge of the railing and Loki put a hand on the collar of his robe,   
“Come away, must you give your mother fits?” As if on cue, he heard Eidra.   
“Loki, will you pull him away from the railing?”  
“But you must behave while we are there. Do you ken? You must remember your manners. You will show them the person of a prince of the realm.”  
“Are you excited Papa? I miss Brenna.”  
Loki nodded, “I miss her. I would she were coming here instead of us traveling there.”  
Fen ran back into the room just as Helgi opened the door with a tray of food, “I knew you would be awake.”  
She brought the tray to the dressing table, sat it down and shuffled over to the bed where Eidra was changing Cait.   
“She was wet through.” Eidra indicated the wet nappy on the marble floor beside the bed.  
Helgi eased herself to the mattress, “Are you....unh.... entirely sure you wish me to go with you this day?”  
Eidra clucked her tongue, “It is no longer up for discussion. You raised Brenna for six seasons on your own, do you not wish to see her as well?”  
“Oh Eidra, of course I do.” Helgi puffed out her chest, “She is my little lamb.”  
“Mama Helgi, there is nothing to fear.” Eidra patted her arm, then picked up Cait, handing her into Helgi's outstretched arms. “We must hurry and eat, it will soon be time to leave.”

 

Heimdall regarded Loki and Thor with a cynical eye. “What manner of dress do they call this?”  
Thor straightened his jacket, “Suits, Heimdall. We must fit in on Midgard. Our own clothing would seem antiquated by their standards.”  
“By all means,” Heimdall crossed his massive arms, “One would not expect an Asgardian to stand out. Rather he must blend in with the commoners,” He looked to the women and Fen. “In the very least, they are well attired.”  
Thor gave a short bow and sighed, “Heimdall, may we pass to the Bifrost?”  
Loki heard a mumbled “Oh dear,” from Helgi as Heimdall took the iron rings of the gates in his great hands and started to pull backwards. The tall doors parted with a loud screech, slowly, revealing the landing pad atop the S.H.I.E.L.D offices, outlined against a steel gray sky. Loki looked behind him at Eidra, holding Cait on her hip. Helgi, a satchel on one shoulder, gripped Fen's hand tightly, her other hand covering her eyes.   
“Let us be off then,” He gestured to Thor and they stepped through..

 

...As the hatchway door to the landing pad flipped open. Fury, flanked by Tony Stark, followed by four other agents, approached the group, taking Thor's hand and shaking it.  
“We notified Miss Munroe at the school that you were expected today.”  
The wind was sharp, biting but Fury heard the whisper, “Odin's beard, a dark elf?”   
He regarded the speaker, a short elderly woman watching him with great round eyes.  
“No Ma'am, African American, Haitian on my mother's side. Let's get out of this wind.”  
He ushered the group through the hatchway. Eidra, passing the agents, spied Lily who smiled and gave a small wave. Fen tugged Helgi along, exclaiming at everything he saw until, once inside, Loki rescued her, pulling Fen to his side. Stark fell in beside him.   
“Nice suit. I knew I had good taste. I've got a dress for your wife and a suit for the boy. Didn't expect you to bring your maid with you. I'll have to call Pepper.”  
“She is our friend. She is not our maid..”  
“Either way,” Stark looked at his wrist, “She needs something less Middle ages to wear.”  
Fen kept stumbling as he attempted to take everything in. The massive jet which nearly filled the room they had entered, the agents, Fury. When they reached the elevator doors which slid open, Fen's jaw dropped as Helgi stepped back“Whatever is this?”  
Stark moved to her side, taking her arm, “My dear lady this is an elevator, a lift if you will. This box will take us to whatever floor we wish to visit.”   
Helgi pulled her arm from his grasp, “Well I wish to visit this floor. Is there no other way to reach our destination?”  
Stark raised an eyebrow to the group, noting Loki's wide smile, “Well there are stairs to each floor but this is much quicker.”  
“Show me the stairs then. Of them I am sure.”  
Stark held his hands up in the air, “Anybody?”  
Even Fury had to grin as the others filed into the elevator and he hit the button for the third floor, “See you in the briefing room.” he waved, putting his hands behind his back as the door slid shut and the elevator began to descend, “That was oddly satisfying.”

 

They had been seated for almost five minutes when the briefing room door slid open and in walked Helgi and Stark who flopped into the nearest chair, face red, dripping with sweat, “You guys owe me.”  
Helgi shook her head as she put the satchel down on the floor, “You have not done a hard days work in your life have you.”  
Fury had pulled out a chair for her and with a nod she sat down. Fury leaned over, chuckled “I like you.” and stood back.  
“Now it is almost eight. We'll keep it quick. I expect you to be on the road by eight thirty. It'll take about an hour and a half to reach the school due to traffic at this hour. We are sending on an agent with you just as a precaution. The limousine will return to the school at eight this evening, pick you up and deliver you back here. Are we all on the same page?”  
Eidra leaned over to Loki, “Page?”  
Thor stood up from the table, “We are in accord.”  
On the other side of the table, Stark was talking on his cell phone, “Yes, middling age.....I don't know,” he looked Helgi over, “Two hundred?....Jarvis should have her stats by now, I sent him the picture...,” Helgi was staring at him and he acknowledged her with a smile.  
“Are you speaking to me, Master Stark?”  
He pointed to his cell, “Phone, I'm speaking to my assistant”  
Helgi peered closely at the small square in his hand, “That is your assistant?”  
He held up his hand to her as he resumed speaking, “What....I don't know, Pepper.....kindly old lady style?...ow!”   
Helgi had given his arm a strong pinch.  
“I will show you old! You could not even keep even with me on the stairs.”  
He slid his chair away from her, still speaking with Pepper, “And hurry alright? We're on a tight schedule.”  
Fifteen minutes later, they were standing in the parking garage waiting for the limousine. Eidra was appraising the dress Stark's assistant had brought to the office for Helgi. She'd chosen a navy blue skirt with a matching blazer and a grey blouse. A little cameo sat at the throat. Her shoes being completely forgotten, Helgi wore the boots she'd come with.   
“I think it looks very nice on you.”  
Helgi adjusted the blazer, shrugged “It is stiff, unforgiving. The cut is suitable, I suppose.”  
Eidra looked again to Loki, admiring him. He had chosen to wear the dark grey suit and midnight blue button up shirt Tony had given to him. He had tucked his hair behind his ears and she noted he was chewing his lip as he always did when nervous. He caught her gaze, giving her a smile, mouthing the words, “You look lovely.”  
Stark had provided her with a dark green jersey dress, low cut, she was relieved to see. It would make nursing Cait much easier. The fabric clung to her curves, an aspect she lamented though Loki remarked, with a wink that he saw nothing wrong with it.  
Fen had wandered to a nearby car and was hopping up and down to see inside the windows. “How do they move?”  
Loki steered him by the shoulder, back to the group, “They are powered by a device called an engine which takes a liquid called gasoline in and converts it to energy, now stay still.”  
He looked around to see Stark staring at him, “That's a very good description.”   
Fen wrapped himself around his father's arm, “Papa knows everything.”  
“You know what, he told me the same thing.”  
Lily tickled Cait under the chin. “I can't believe how big she is now.”  
Eidra smiled, “She is such a happy baby too. She sleeps through the night most of the time,” she wiped Cait's mouth free of drool with a linen handkerchief, “And I believe she is starting to cut teeth. Tell me, do you still knit?”  
Lily held up a small scarf draped around her neck, “Yes I do, when I manage to get home at a decent hour, I relax with some mindless TV and my knitting.”  
“Is it not a joy?” Eidra put her hand on Lily's arm, “I do wish we would have time to procure some new patterns while we were here. I would love to show Helgi. She would be beside herself. She taught me to knit.”  
Helgi stepped back when the limousine came to a halt before them and the driver hopped out. Stark was already opening the door for them. Fen shot forward, clear to the other side of the car, his face pressed against the tinted window. Lily slid in next and held her hands out to Eidra, “I'll strap the baby in the car seat.”  
Eidra handed her off as they all filed in. Helgi stood apart, staring at the front of the limo until finally Stark tapped her on the arm, “Please don't tell me you'd rather walk.”  
She glanced at the door, “Is there a choice?”  
Stark shook his head, “Not this time.”  
She closed her eyes, opened them, and climbed inside to sit beside Eidra. Stark was the last in, the door shutting behind him as he settled in next to Thor. “Okay then, everyone ready?”  
Helgi pulled Fen down to sit beside her, “No.”  
“Good,” He tapped on the long window behind his head.

After a few minutes, when the panic had worn off, Helgi sat with Fen, peering in wonder at the city outside the window.  
“Papa, there are so many palaces here.”  
Loki gazed up through the skylight at the buildings rising high above them, fighting back a half remembered scene in the back of his mind.   
“They are filled with people who live there but they are not palaces. They are called skyscrapers.”  
“So,” Stark had stretched his legs out and was now leaning back into the seat, “How are things down on the farm?”  
Fen pointed at the line of yellow taxis outside as Loki peered at Stark, gauging whether he was serious, “It is our quiet time. We hunt most often now. Our mare was delivered of a foal just recently.”  
“Papa named him Agathon.” Fen piped up.  
Thor turned to Stark, “He has a fine farm, with large fields.”  
“Do you give tours?” Stark nudged him. Thor tensed as Loki turned his full attention to the conversation.  
“If I were willing to do so, you would be the first guest on my list.”   
Stark looked at Thor, then back to Loki and back to Thor once again as Loki returned his gaze to the window, “Tony Stark speechless, I do believe history has been made.”  
Tony stared around the limousine then slapped his hands on his knees, “Anyone care for a drink?”

 

Sophie pulled Brenna's hair back for the third time, trying to twist it into a french roll. Brenna, meanwhile, was dabbing at her eyes, sniffling.  
“Brenna, come on, pull yourself together,” Sophie muttered.  
Brenna nodded and Sophie groaned as the roll slipped through her fingers, “Okay next time just say yes, don't move.”  
“I am sorry. I am so very worried. A whole day with my family? With my father? And my boyfriend and my best friend?”  
“Hey, what am I going to do wrong?”  
Brenna waved her hands at Sophie, “Oh no, I did not mean it to come out like that. I am not worried about your actions, rather I am worried about the impression my family will make upon everyone else.”  
Sophie pulled the two rolls together and secured them at the back of Brenna's head with a heart shaped barrette, “Go look at yourself. You look so pretty with your hair up.”  
Brenna stood before the bathroom mirror, turning her head from side to side, “It is indeed a lovely style but look at my face. It is all red from crying.”  
“Well then stop it,” Sophie took a wash cloth, wet it with cold water and patted Brenna's face. “Now let's get your makeup on then you can put on your dress. There'll be plenty of things for them to do. Miss Munroe is going to give them a tour of the school, that will take up some time.”  
“And parade my father around the school for all to see.”  
“So, my parents come here. It doesn't bother me if people see them.”  
Brenna felt the anger rising to the surface as she thought for the thousandth time about what Mister Stark had showed her. She had admitted, but only to Chase, she was afraid, had admitted she did not want the students to confirm what she managed to convince herself had been all lies. What if they panicked? What if they recognized him from pictures? There seemed to be enough of them online, and of good enough quality. She knew her father was incapable of murder. The students, though, did not, could not because they did not know him.  
She felt more tears coming and slapped her hands onto the porcelain of the sink. “I cannot do this!”  
Sophie sat down on the closed toilet, elbows on her knees, “Keep saying that and you'll have yourself convinced you can't. Come on Bren, aren't you the least bit happy they're coming?”  
She nodded, “Sophie, I cannot wait to see my mother and my little brother and sister.”  
“Gee, why do you hate your father so much?” Sophie stood up and took her makeup bag, setting it on the back of the toilet.  
Brenna spun around, “I do not hate my father!” She took the towel hanging over the towel rack and wiped her face dry, “I fear him. I hate when he yells at me, when he disapproves of everything I do. When he treats me as a child.”  
Sophie backed away, startled at Brenna's outburst, “I get scared of my dad too when I've done something wrong. He yells at me, and disapproves of things I do but I know he loves me.”  
“How?”  
Sophie unscrewed the face powder jar, “He tells me.”  
“He does?”  
“Well yes, all the time. Whenever we talk on the phone, he ends by saying, “bye darlin' I love you.” And I say it back.” She started to dust Brenna's face with the fine powder to even out her skin, then paused. “Didn't your father do the same when he left to go somewhere, or when he came home? Kiss and a hug when you went to bed at night?”  
“I kiss and hug my mother. I bid my father good night respectfully.”   
She bit her lip. No more tears today. Not one.  
“Wow, Bren, I'm sorry...I don't know what to say.”  
“There is nothing to say, it is how he is. We have never kenned one another.”  
Sophie reached for her blush, “Well,” she started to brush color along Brenna's cheekbones,  
“now is as good a time to change as any.”

Fen lay half across Helgi's lap, asleep. Eidra too, had succumbed to the movement of the limo, leaning into the car seat, her hand resting on the blanket draped over a sleeping Cait. Loki reached over and shook her knee, “My heart, look.”  
Eidra's eyes flew open as she stared about the interior, “What?” felt the limo turn and was able to catch a glimpse of a stone arch with black iron gates thrown wide, “Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters” Loki read aloud.  
“Are we there yet?” Fen's head came up from Helgi's lap as Lily laughed, “It seems no matter where you go, children ask the same question.”

Brenna was buttoning up her dress. She'd chosen a green linen shift with the miniature pink roses and a pair of black flats. She was down to the last two buttons when she happened to look out the window in her room and saw a long black limousine winding up the driveway. She felt cold fingers race up her spine, jumping as a knock came at her door and Chase entered with Sophie behind him.  
“Hey, you ready? Aren't they going to be here pretty soon?”  
She pointed out the window, “They already are.”


	47. 47

The limo swung around a circular drive to stop before the front steps of the mansion. As the driver opened the door for them, Loki spied the white haired woman he had spoken to when he had first been to the school to find Brenna. She was standing at the bottom of the steps leading into the school. Beside her was a man with dark hair, wild, like he'd just come from a fight. His eyes flitted back and forth, his stance as if he were ready to pounce at any moment, arms at his side ready to swing. Loki could only liken him to an animal. Stark was already shaking hands with the man and Miss Munroe as he exited the limo, Eidra close behind him. She held out her hands to Lily who handed Cait up then climbed from the car herself, practically pushed from behind by Fen who leaped out to run to Loki. “Papa, another palace!”  
Thor stepped out, then turned and offered his hand to the empty door, “Come now, we are already here, Helgi.”  
Slowly, Helgi stepped from the limousine, staring up at the facade of the great mansion before her, gliding over to stand beside Eidra who turned and gasped, “Oh, Mister Stark, my packet in the trunk.”  
Stark nodded to the driver who was at the rear of the limo at once. He brought the leather satchel to Lily who took it and draped it over her shoulder.   
Miss Munroe approached the group, followed by the man who was now smiling. She stopped at Loki and shook his hand. He felt the strength of a confident woman in her grip. “It's good to see you again in a more pleasant atmosphere.”   
Loki nodded to her, “Indeed, may I introduce my wife Eidra and my youngest daughter, Cait.”  
Miss Munroe nodded, “Welcome to our school.”  
“And my son Fen,” He pulled Fen back to stand before him, “My brother I believe you know.”  
Thor took Miss Munroe's hand and bussed it lightly, “Madam.”  
“And I must not forget Helgi, our housekeeper and friend.”  
“Housekeeper, maid, what's the difference?” Stark muttered to him though he judiciously ignored the jab.  
Miss Munroe smiled at the older woman who was staring at her, “Welcome.”  
Helgi could only nod.  
“I'd like to introduce one of our teachers,” She put a hand on Logan's shoulder, “Logan. He will be accompanying me when I give you the tour of the school.”  
Miss Munroe turned to the group, “If you will all follow me into the reception area. I'll send for Brenna.”  
The group started forward except Thor and Stark. Loki turned to them, “Are you leaving already?”  
Thor reddened a bit, “When I spoke to Miss Foster the week last, I told her I would be arriving by the eleventh hour and she is a distance away from here.”  
Loki put a hand on his shoulder, “Very well, you must come inside upon your return though. Brenna will be hurt if you do not.”  
Thor put his hand on Loki's shoulder in turn, “Brother, enjoy your stay and mind your temper.”  
“I shall do my best.”  
Thor re-entered the limo as Stark turned to Loki, “We'll be back around eight, like the big guy said, don't lose your cool and start breaking shit okay?” He clapped Loki on the arm and dropped down into the limo.  
Loki watched the limo pull away with a feeling akin to panic then rejoined the group waiting for him at the entrance of the school.

Brenna heard the knock at her door and her heart began to pound.   
“Come on.” Chase stood up from the bed as Sophie opened the door for Miss Munroe.  
“Your family is here, Brenna.” Miss Munroe was smiling at her but she felt too stunned to smile back, instead she followed her out of her room and down the hallway with Chase and Sophie in tow.  
“Geez I feel as if I should have a bible in my hand reading her last rites,” Chase muttered as Sophie elbowed him hard.  
“Shut up! You don't help.”

 

“The paintings that move!” Fen cried.  
He had pressed his hands to the screen of a small TV in a corner of the reception area. On the screen was a commercial for dog food and blond puppies now tumbled across the screen towards him. “Papa, look!”  
Loki sighed. It was inevitable. All the technology he had encountered over the years had at first dazzled, then disgusted him when he saw how Midgardians used it to make their people lazy, rebellious, feeding them propaganda every minute of every day, dulling their minds.  
He steered Fen away from the screen though Fen craned his neck around to watch it regardless, “Papa look, look!”  
“I have seen it Fen, now hush.”   
Eidra and Lily sat on a couch with Cait. Helgi stood stock still, hands clasped before her, head seeming on a swivel as she gazed about the room. He heard footsteps on the stairway in the foyer and looked at Eidra who was watching the archway. When she broke into a smile, Loki looked up to see Miss Munroe leading Brenna, and two young people he did not know, into the room. Eidra stood up throwing wide her free arm. Brenna rushed to her, wrapping her arms about her, mindful of Cait who squeaked with excitement.  
“Oh Mama, I have missed you so very much!” She sobbed into Eidra's shoulder, felt a hand at her back and turned to see Helgi, “Helgi! You came too!” she pulled her into the hug/ Arms around her waist had her looking down into Fen's smile, “Brenna!”  
“Little worm!” Gathering him in, laughing.  
Loki stood there, apart, hands behind his back, watching them until he was aware of two pairs of eyes regarding him. His gaze swung to the two young students who had accompanied Brenna. The girl immediately looked away but the boy held his gaze for a moment. His eyes narrowed, he regarded the boy curiously.  
Eidra put her hand to Brenna's head, “Go greet your father now.”  
Chase had been steeling himself to approach Loki and shake hands but Brenna was now standing before him.  
She held out her hand and Loki took it, disheartened to feel her trembling.  
“Hello Father, welcome to my school.” She gave a slight curtsey, heard him swallow and she looked up, catching a glimpse of unguarded sadness before it was eclipsed by his usual serious demeanor.  
“How fare you. Are they treating you well here?”  
Brenna smiled, “Yes, very well.”  
“She's a good student.” Miss Munroe had moved beside her, “She works in the library three nights a week, volunteers to help with the younger grades. She's very good with children.”  
Loki watched Fen hanging about Brenna's waist while she hugged his head, “She is at that. You have a system to judge how well a student is doing. Tell me, how does she do in that respect?”  
Miss Munroe put a hand at Brenna's back, “She does very well. She has a B in Current Events, A's in the other classes. She's a quick learner.”   
Loki wore a blank expression on his face, “Please elaborate.”  
“It means I am doing very well, Father.”  
Lily had been standing beside Eidra, watching the exchange between Loki and Brenna, the one word she would have used to describe the scene would be painful. The both of them were ill at ease. Brenna seemed almost frightened.   
Brenna motioned to Sophie and Chase who were behind her. “Father, this is my best friend, Sophie.” He watched the young dark blond haired girl walk up to him, amused by her expression of awe.   
“Best friend? A strange term.” He took up her hand and covered it with his own, “I am pleased to meet you.”  
“Me too,” She curtsied as Brenna had taught her, “I mean likewise, darn it. I'm sorry, I don't get to meet royalty every day. I'm a little nervous.”  
His grin surprised Brenna, “Indeed? Has my daughter not told you she is also a princess?”  
Sophie was redder than Brenna had ever seen her as she giggled, “Well yes but I mean, she's just Brenna to me. It's sort of hard to imagine her in a tiara when we're on her bed surrounded by homework and chips and dip.”  
“I am a prince.”  
Sophie looked to her left where Fen stood with his hand out. Sophie bent down, took his hand and shook it. “Pleased to meet you, your Highness.”  
“Forgive my son, he has yet to learn to excuse himself before he speaks.”  
Fen stared wide eyed at Loki, “I am sorry Papa.”  
He turned back to Sophie and cleared his throat, “Excuse me, I am also a prince,” leaving Sophie to hide a giggle behind her hand as she curtsied to him.  
“And this,” Brenna made to reach for Chase but he was already walking forward.  
“I'm Chase Wells. It's an honor to meet you.”  
Loki took his hand, feeling the firm grip, returning the pressure in kind. He noted Brenna's face then, keeping Chase's hand within his grip a moment longer, “And you are also Brenna's friend?”  
Chase faltered. Loki felt his hand relax as if he wished to let go, then the pressure returned, “Yes sir.”  
He searched Chase's face, finally letting his hand go, “I see.”  
Brenna had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming, so frustrated was she. Chase had claimed he was just a friend. She looked away as Chase returned to her side.  
“Why don't we start the tour of the school. You can leave your things here, we'll be coming back to this room. Some classes will be in session. I'll try to introduce you to Brenna's teachers if they're free...,” Miss Munroe nodded to Logan, “Starting with our Self Defense instructor, Logan.”  
Loki shook his hand, a hard pump, “Nice to meet ya,” Logan glanced at Miss Munroe, “Now can I go?”  
“No, I would like you to come with us.”  
He rolled his eyes, “No rest for the wicked. Let's get going then.”

 

Brenna fell in beside Eidra as they entered the foyer and started up the stairs leaving Chase, Sophie and Lily to bring up the rear.   
Chase watched Brenna's back while he whispered to Sophie, “I just couldn't do it. Not yet. Geez.”  
Sophie gave him a withering look, “Well you'd better get some balls before the end of the day, mister.”  
Brenna heard them talking though she tried to ignore them, “Mama, I am so happy to see you.” She held out her hands, “Let me carry Cait for a while.”  
“Thank you,” Eidra handed her over to Brenna and shook her arms out, “She is getting heavy. Watch yourself, she is a hair puller.”  
“Do they feed you here?” Helgi, flanking her on her right, poked her in the ribs, “I declare you have lost weight.”  
Brenna was rubbing noses with Cait, “Of course they feed me Helgi, but I do miss your cooking. They treat their food with strange potions here to make them last long before spoiling and it does not agree with me.”  
Helgi took her arm, “When you come home, I will prepare a right feast.”  
Halfway down the hallway, they came to Brenna's door.  
“This is your daughter's room,” Miss Munroe gestured for Brenna to come forward, “Some of the rooms are double occupancy, some are single like hers. Brenna would you like to show your family your room?”  
She ran through a quick mental relay of her room, opened the door and held it as they all filed in.   
Miss Munroe continued, “They have their own bathrooms, sitting area for company, a desk, a wardrobe or a closet depending on the design, and a bed. They're required to do their own laundry and keep the room neat,” she chuckled, “For a teenager that is.”  
Loki scanned the room, spying the laptop open on the desk at the same time Brenna did. She had forgotten it was on when Miss Munroe came to fetch her. He leaned over and put his hands on either side of the keyboard, staring at the screen. “Who, might I ask, is this?”  
Brenna winced. She had set, as a background, an actor she'd come to like, “He is a movie star, Father. His name is Leonardo DiCaprio.”  
As he was studying the image, Fen popped up in front of him and cried, “”He is ugly! Why is he not moving like the other paintings?”  
Loki looked down at the top of Fen's head, “Because this is a picture, like our paintings back home.”  
Fen's hand had begun to wander towards the keyboard but Loki pulled it back, “What did I tell you about touching what is not yours?”  
Fen peered around Loki's waist at Brenna, “Might I touch the picture?”  
“No, you little worm, you called Leo ugly.” She heard Chase and Sophie snicker behind her.  
“Brenna,” Loki stood and turned around.  
She had been about to argue her point when she felt Eidra's hand on her arm, giving it a squeeze.  
“I am sorry Father, No you may not touch the laptop.”   
Fen's hand was inches from the keyboard again when Loki swung him around, “Awww!”  
Eidra followed Loki around the room as he inspected it, into the bathroom, the sitting area, even pressing down on the mattress.   
“What is he hoping to find?” Helgi muttered to Brenna.  
Finally he returned to the group, “It is well appointed. She has everything she needs?”  
Miss Munroe nodded, “Her tuition, just as it is for many of the children in the school, is paid by benefactors who are sympathetic to the mutant cause, extra money she earns by working in the library. Clothes are often donated, passed down from students who graduate or leave for other schools.”  
“Donated? As in charity? I will see to it you are compensated for her expenses,” he glanced again at the laptop, “We are hardly beggars.”  
“You miss my meaning...” Miss Munroe began but Brenna held up her hand.  
“Father, it is not begging. It is good will....generosity...”  
Loki raised an eyebrow, “Indeed?” scanned the room once more as Miss Munroe held out her hand.  
“If you're ready, we can head to the classrooms.”  
They filed out of the room behind Miss Munroe. As Brenna started forward, she felt a hand at her shoulder. It was Chase. She made to pull away but he held firm as he whispered, “Brenna come on. Don't be mad at me, please.” Sophie had stopped but seeing the look on Brenna's face, decided to follow the rest of the group.  
“He will think you are a coward, or worse, a liar,” She shifted Cait from one hip to the other, “I do not want him to disapprove of you.”  
“I know, I know,” Chase glanced at the group who hadn't yet noticed they were behind, and then leaned closer, “I promise I'll do it. I'll ask him before the day is out.”  
“Swear it?”   
He was close enough to kiss her but didn't dare, “Cross my heart, hope to die.”  
“Brenna?”  
Brenna looked up, struggling to keep her expression even, “Coming.”  
She trotted up to them, Cait making a sing song squeal in time to Brenna's steps, “I was talking to Chase.”  
She caught her father's stare then, feeling the color drain from her face as they proceeded down the hall to the stairs at the other end. Loki had slowed to walk with Eidra and their heads were bowed together, talking.  
Lily, bringing up the rear, leaned over to Brenna, “If you're trying to hide something, that wasn't the way to do it.”  
Brenna gave a wry smile, “It most assuredly was not.” 

They stopped at the gymnasium first where Miss Munroe explained the sports programs available to the students.   
“This is my territory, where I teach self defense,” Logan nodded to the empty room as Loki assessed him.  
“There is a great need for self defense in the school?”  
Logan shrugged, “It helps once the kids are out in the real world. I mean most of them, you don't want to cross, but then again, it's better to learn how to avoid a fight. Being able to defend themselves gives them more confidence, a better sense of value.....Jesus, Ororo. I'm starting to sound like you...”  
“It's about time,” Miss Munroe muttered under her breath.  
“And you have taught my daughter this?”  
Logan chuckled, “Well I've tried, yeah. She's not much of a thrower but she's got a strong punch and she could crack glass with the set of lungs on her.”  
“Of that I am aware.” Loki looked at Brenna, “She was famous for her tantrums when she was a child.”  
Eidra gave him a withering glance but he ignored it and soon Miss Munroe was ushering them from the gym, “Let's see the other classrooms.”  
They peeked into the History classroom which was being taught by Professor Cain. Brian sat in the front row waving frantically at Brenna who had to laugh at his awestruck expression.   
Cait had started to fuss so Eidra took her again, “She is getting hungry,”   
Miss Munroe paused, “Do you want to stop somewhere and feed her?”  
“No, she will hold off a bit longer.”  
“Wait a minute,” Chase spoke up, dashing up the halway ahead of them into a little lighted alcove, returning a minute later with a small package.  
“Vending machines, they always have these,” He opened a small package of shortbread cookies, “My grandmother used to give these to me all the time. They soften slowly so she can suck on them.”  
Eidra took one of the cookies from Chase and sniffed it, “It smells like the biscuits I make for Winternights.”  
She offered the end of the cookie to Cait's open mouth. At first she made a face and pushed it out with her tongue but, after a moment, started to mouth it.  
“Thank you, this may work.” Eidra smiled at him.  
“Anything to help,” he returned the smile though it faded as he caught Loki staring at him.  
Miss Munroe led them through a cursory tour of two more classrooms, Science and the Art studio though both were empty.  
The next classroom they arrived at was towards the end of the hall. Students were filing out, passing them, staring as they waited for the doorway to clear.  
“This is Brenna's math class. Come on in.”  
Miss Munroe waved to Nala who had just finished erasing the smart board. “Is it okay to come in? Brenna's family is here.”  
“Sure,” she put the eraser down, turned and felt behind her for her chair. She could see him. He looked human but it as if a veil was drawn over his true form. His eyes, the iris ruby red, the sclera dark rose, the same eyes she saw every morning when she looked into the mirror. His skin a muted cerulean blue, the markings on his face different from hers but apparent nevertheless. It was as if she was looking at a double exposure. Stranger than this was the fact that he wore much the same expression on his face as he looked at her.  
“Nala is our math teacher,” Miss Munroe glanced at Nala at once concerned as Nala sat down hard in her seat, “She's also going to have a baby soon. Hopefully not right this minute.”  
Nala shook her head, finally finding her tongue, “No, not, no...I'm fine. Just a little dizzy, must be the thin atmosphere up here.” Her standard joke brought chuckles from the teenagers but the man and the woman with him who was holding a baby on her hip, kept staring at her. She had to do something.  
“I teach intermediate math, um, algebra, trig, business, some basics,” She forced herself to stand again, walking to a file cabinet on the other side of her desk. After a minute of walking through the manila folders with trembling fingers, she lifted Brenna's homework file, holding it out to him. “I have some of her papers here if you're interested in looking at them.”  
Loki approached the desk slowly, his hand extended for the sheaf of papers. As he took them, he kept his voice low almost a growl, “You are Jotun...”  
She stared down into his eyes, “...I.. had no idea...I..I never knew my real parents... you're one as well aren't...”  
His eyes widened and Nala at once felt dizzy again.  
“How do you know this?”  
She lowered her head, making as if to point out a mark on one fractions worksheet, “I can see it. I can see you.”  
He gave a barely perceptible nod to the group behind him, “They do not know.” his voice was barely a whisper, “I implore you. Say nothing.”  
“She is a giant, Mama!” Fen piped up behind him,   
Nala felt somehow that she mustn't touch the man before her, that to do so would bring about a change in him. Nala looked up, locking eyes with Eidra who was holding her baby tightly to her chest.  
“She is doing fine work then?”  
Nala fidgeted with a folder on her desk, “She's caught up with students in her grade. She now attends the class with all of the others. No more one on one.”  
He set the papers down on the desk where she took the opportunity to note the markings on the back of his hand, an elaborate design which pricked at the farthest reaches of her memory. They meant something to her. If anyone could tell her about her heritage, he could.   
“If you ever need to discuss her grades or have any questions, Miss Munroe has my number.”   
Eidra had walked up to the desk and was now leaning over to look at the papers. She then raised her eyes to Nala. “I did not know Jotuns had visited this realm.”  
“Neither did I,” Nala flashed her a wavering smile, “I don't know a thing about where I come from.” She looked at Loki again who had straightened up but did not meet her gaze.  
“I wish I could help you but I have never been to Jotunheim,” Eidra murmured.  
Nala waited for Loki to respond but he was silent.   
Miss Munroe cleared her throat as the bell rang, signaling the end of class, “Why don't we continue to the last room. Professor Wagner should be there, he teaches Theology. We'll let Nala get ready for her next class.”  
Eidra nodded politely to her as they walked away though she still seemed stunned.  
Nala watched them leave, easing herself back into the chair, rubbing her swollen belly, wishing fervently that she was able to drink because she really needed one.

They headed up another flight of stairs to the next floor, Eidra puffing as they reached the top.  
Loki turned to her, “Let me take Cait.” But Eidra drew her away.  
“No she is all cookie, you will get it all over your suit.” She wiped Cait's mouth with the linen kerchief she'd brought.   
Lily stepped up, holding out her hands, “Let me take a turn. I love babies.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Oh yeah,” Lily nodded, making a face at the smiling infant.  
Eidra draped the cloth over her shoulder, transferring Cait to her waiting arms.  
“I apologize in advance for your dirty suit.”  
Midway down the corridor they reached another classroom door. Miss Munroe swung it open and poked her head in, “Kurt?”  
Kurt was been bent over a pile of tests, head in hand, making marks on the papers but at his name, he sat back abruptly.   
“Mein Gott,” He stood up, surveying the group that now stood in his classroom. “Come in, I vas just grading papers. I tend to zone out.”  
Miss Munroe brought Loki and Eidra forward, “These are Brenna's parents. Loki and Eidra.”  
Kurt smiled through their shocked stares, “I am Professor Wagner. I teach theology, Current Events, and I also have a fencing class, so my plate is pretty full, ja?”  
Loki narrowed his eyes at Kurt's extended hand though he shook it. Kurt smiled wider as Loki turned his wrist to examine his hand.  
“I suppose God thought I could manage with three fingers.”  
Loki let go, taken aback that Kurt had noted his scrutiny, “Forgive me.”  
Kurt waved at him, “Ach, I have lived with it all my life.”  
He stepped away from his desk, turning around, “I find it easier to get der usual questions out of der way first. Feel free to stare.”  
Fen who had moved forward, was taking full advantage of the invitation, pulling at Eidra's hand, “Mama, this one has a tail!”  
He heard Eidra gasp as he chuckled. “Ah yes, das is unique is it not?”  
To his surprise, when he turned again to face them, he found Loki was grinning, “You have no fear.”  
“No, what is there to fear from being looked at,” he returned to his desk, “But of course you are here for your daughter. Brenna is a bright student. I teach her current events. I started her immersion into der culture here by exposing her to newspapers, magazines, having her write essays. She has learned much, she is very articulate.”  
Eidra felt Loki's arm slide about her waist, “So by all accounts, she is doing well?”  
“Ja, very well. She has expressed an interest in a career in nursing, haven't you?”  
Brenna, startled that he had called attention to her, stepped forward. “Yes sir.”  
Behind them, students had started to trickle in to the room and Miss Munroe turned to the group, “Another class is coming in, we'll let Kurt get to his work.”  
Loki regarded him a moment longer and with a nod, followed Miss Munroe back out into the corridor. Brenna, bringing up the rear, was almost out of the classroom when she heard a couple of girls whispering to each other, “Oh my god, he's gorgeous.”  
Brenna slowed, trying to hear what they were saying next but they had moved away from her. She turned to see who they were looking at, noticing they were staring past her. She knew Chase was outside in the hall. The only other person they could mean was her father. She grimaced, muttering to herself, “Gods no.” as she left the classroom.  
As she caught up with the group, she heard her mother speaking in a whisper to her father, “Nursing, she would have to have a baby first and that will not happen for quite some time. How does one..”  
“Mama,” Brenna locked arms with Eidra, “What the professor means by nursing is a profession where you help the sick by caring for them in the hospitals. Nurses are the same type of people who helped you with Cait when you were here on Midgard.”  
“Nursing........nurses.....,” she put a hand to her face, “Oh! Oh my that is what he meant?” Her cheeks started to redden, “I feel ignorant.”  
“No, Mama. You have simply learned something new.”  
Miss Munroe proceeded to show them the Dining hall which Loki observed was quite a bit smaller than the Great Hall at the palace. In the library, he picked one book from the shelves, flipped through it and replaced it, took another one down and paused.  
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....” he muttered “How on Asgard could it be both? Foolish Midgardian..”  
He replaced the book on the shelf, missing Brenna's open mouthed stare.  
“Oh I don't know,” Miss Monroe countered, walking over to the shelf to take the book down again, “Dickens was one of the great writers of his time. That line reflects a matter of opinion. For the rich it was the best of times, for the poor it was the worst of times. He recognized that your view on life depends on your perspective.”  
Brenna sidled closer to Eidra leaning over to whisper in her ear, “Did you know Father could read Midgardian?”  
“I did,” Eidra nodded.  
“Where?” Brenna looked to where her father was talking with Miss Munroe, his arms crossed before him. She could have told Miss Munroe the futility of her efforts. This stance usually meant the end to any argument.  
She looked back to Eidra, “Well?”  
But Eidra only tilted her head toward Loki, “Hush. What does it matter where he learned?”  
Before Brenna could answer, Miss Munroe and Loki had returned to the group.   
“Now, if you'll all follow me, I'll take you back to where we started.”  
When they reached the reception room, Helgi dropped into an easy chair. “Such a vast manor house. I have had enough walking today to last me the rest of my life.”  
“You did not have to take the stairs with Stark, you know,” Loki remarked, giving her an amused look as Miss Munroe put her hands together.  
“Now I will leave you to visit, look around on your own if you like. I would suggest a stroll about the grounds but it's pretty cold out there today. Brenna has told me that she and her friends are going to make dinner for you this afternoon. Enjoy your stay and if you need anything, give me a call,” she glanced at Logan, “Now you can go.”  
Logan grinned, shaking Loki's hand, “Excuse me, I have a date.”  
As he trotted out of the room, Miss Munroe shook her head, “And if you'll excuse me, I have work to attend to.”  
They were finally alone. Eidra sat down on the couch, having taken Cait back from Lily, settling her in the crook of her arm. Eidra drew down the collar of her dress exposing one breast. Brenna had dropped to the couch beside her mother and giggled as she saw Chase look away. Cait, oblivious to anything save her lunch, latched on, her tiny hand caressing the swell of her mother's breast, her eyes fixed on Eidra's face.  
Fen had run to the large TV again, Loki following behind him, “Fen...”  
Sophie picked up the remote control from the coffee table, “Here let me give him something worth watching.”   
Fen's mouth dropped open, his nose nearly touching the screen, “What are these paintings?” He laughed as the cat, in pursuit of a mouse, slammed into a wall.  
“These are old Tom and Jerry cartoons.” She put the controller down on a coffee table while Fen continued to stand, staring at the screen, mesmerized.  
“Oh Brenna,” Eidra cried, “Fetch my satchel, I have something for you.”  
Brenna brought the satchel to set it in front of the couch.  
“Now open it.”  
She did so, drawing out the knitted shawl, the yarn a dark indigo, “Mama, for me?”  
“Why yes for you. To keep the drafts away. I dyed the yarn with blackberry juice.”  
Brenna leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, “I shall never take it off.”  
Eidra smiled as Brenna tickled Cait under the chin, watching her eyes flit to hers then back to Eidra's again. “She is so sweet, Mama.”  
Eidra stroked Cait's cheek, “She is. Babies are a joy. I shall not have much of a break in between, this time.”  
Slowly her statement sank in as Brenna sat back, “Oh no, Mama not again! How could you?”  
Eidra wrinkled her nose at Cait who gave a watery giggle, “What do you mean?”  
“Does he intend to keep you perpetually with child? Really, Mother,” she whispered fiercely.  
Eidra gazed across the coffee table at Loki who had drawn Fen over to sit on the couch and was currently watching the scene on the TV, Fen, still rapt, leaning against him.  
“Do you not think I was a willing participant?”  
“Ewww! Mother!” Brenna put a hand to her mouth.  
“Oh Brenna, how do you imagine you came to be?”  
Brenna shielded her eyes from her mother's scrutiny, “It does not mean I wish to picture it in my head.”  
“Someday you shall see for yourself,” Eidra's gaze slid to Chase who was standing some distant though he too was watching the TV screen, “You will love someone enough to marry them and start your own family.”  
Brenna relaxed onto her mother's shoulder, “Mama, I only worry about you. You had such trouble with Cait.”  
Eidra tipped her head to rest on Brenna's, breathing in the scent of flowery shampoo, underneath, the scent of her firstborn baby, “My child, we shall be ready this time, your father promised.”  
Brenna regarded her father, a half smile on his face as Jerry was fired out of a miniature cannon out over the techinicolor horizon, “Mama, I had a strange experience a couple moons ago. I was told by a medium that I was being watched over by someone I know.”  
“A medium? Whatever is that?”   
“It is a person who talks to people who have died.”  
Eidra bit her lip, “And what did this medium say?”  
“That I was being watched over by Uncle Chris.”  
Eidra felt tears prickle her eyes, “Bren, It does my heart good to hear for Uncle Chris passed on during harvest time.”  
Brenna sniffed, recalling at once a particularly vivid memory. She had taken down his bible from his bookshelf once, thumbing through it to gaze at the illuminated letters, the rich pictures. Chris had found her, taken the bible and brought her to the table.  
“Let us see if I cannot teach you to read the King's English, child,” he'd murmured as they pored over the book. Each night for some time, he'd visit the cottage with the bible and though Loki was reluctant to have her learn from such a blasphemous tome, he indulged his friend.  
“I'll not have her believing in such preposterous ideas,” her father had warned him. Chris had waved her father off.  
“Not at all, my boy. I wouldn't want to confuse the poor poppet.”  
And he'd been true to his word, only teaching her to read the strange Midgardian text, explaining the meaning of a word but never bringing his own theology into their sessions.  
“I was hoping she was wrong. I am so sorry Mama. Father must have been beside himself.”  
Eidra could only nod.  
“I have missed so much, being away. How fares Aunt Sally?”  
“She does as well as can be expected. She misses you.”  
“I miss her terribly, and Helgi and you and Fen.”  
“Why do you not come home then?” Eidra moved her breast from a sleeping Cait's mouth, wiping a line of drool away as she draped her over her shoulder.  
“I wish to finish what I started here, Mama. You have seen I am doing well. Does that not make you happy?”  
Eidra sighed, “It does indeed. It does not however change the fact that I still wish you home with me.”  
“I will come home eventually, you must know this. I will not stay away forever.” She rubbed Eidra's arm.  
“I will hold you to this.”

Loki sat forward, letting Fen sink into the couch as he surveyed the room. There had been so much to take in. He hated that Brenna seemed to have become a model student for the single fact she was now acting like a true Midgardian. He was proud of her achievements, there was no doubt. She had excelled by their standards as he had known she would, but to have to accept the fact that she was becoming part of a world he looked down upon was almost unthinkable.  
He glanced at Chase who was laughing at something on the TV screen. This boy was not what he seemed either. Loki stood up from the couch, watching Chase flinch and look at him though he passed by without a word to stand before Eidra and Brenna.  
“Tell me Brenna, is everyone at this school a....what do you call them.... a mutant? Even the Professors?”  
Brenna nodded, “Most of them yes. There are a couple of professors that aren't. The women who work in the dining hall, the custodians, they are all without talents. That is what Miss Munroe calls our gifts, talents. Even the house mother, Grace, is telepathic.”  
Loki whirled around to Sophie who was sitting talking to Helgi and Lily on a short loveseat beside the couch.  
“You claim to be my daughter's best friend.”  
“Sophie.” Brenna added.  
“Ah yes, Sophie, my apologies, what is your talent?”  
All at once, Sophie seemed flustered, “I can project an image with my mind. I've been working on making it seem as solid as I can. I think I've improved.”  
Loki put out his hands, “Show me.”  
Sophie's hands were trembling but she opened one palm and closed her eyes. The air above her hand started to shimmer and wave as the outline of a pink stuffed bunny appeared, becoming more solid as seconds went on until it formed, opaque, then brighter. Loki put his finger out, paused.  
“Go on, I can't guarantee it won't disappear, though.”  
He touched the image and was surprised to feel that it had some substance, easily broken through yet still there was resistance. If she concentrated harder, he imagined, she could likely produce a solid object.  
“Fascinating.” Loki stared at the rabbit as it faded and disappeared. “Have you tried bigger objects?”  
“Yeah but I can't get as far as I can with the rabbit. Not much of a skill really.”  
“Do not downplay your ability,” he shook his finger at her, “You must continue to try.”  
He turned to see Chase watching them.  
“Now what might your talent be?”  
Loki strode towards him intrigued to see the boy was holding his ground though his tongue seemed temporarily glued down.   
“I uh..I can pause time.”  
“Ah yes, the skill you used when you ferreted my daughter into the hospital.”  
“Ah...um” Chase stammered, “Um yeah I guess.”  
“You guess?” He put his hands on his hips, “Did you or did you not?”  
Brenna made to stand, intending to come to Chase's aid but Eidra put her hand out. “Let them be.”  
“I did sir. I can show you how it works but you have to stay in the sphere outside of my influence. Stand beside me.”  
He was so close, Chase could smell the scent of wood smoke, faint animal odor of leather, nevertheless, he put his hands up. “Now look around you, everyone is talking, moving?”  
He passed his hand before him and everything stopped moving. Fen's feet which he'd been kicking up and down while he sat on the couch were suspended in mid air. Brenna's mouth open to speak, Eidra's head in mid shake, Helgi and Lily watching them, Sophie pointing.  
“How do we appear to them?”  
Chase passed his hand back again, “We become invisible. Like we're stuck between seconds. It's like opening and closing a venetian blind. Open, you can see the view outside, closed you can't but the view is still there, it's just that the view is being blocked by the blinds themselves and that doesn't make any sense to you does it.”  
He looked about the room where everyone was staring at them, “It does in fact.” Loki glanced at him, “Tell me, what are your intentions towards my daughter?”  
Chase was caught off guard and he tilted his head, unsure if he had heard him right. “Excuse me?”  
Loki nodded at Brenna, her hands clasped before her. “Your intentions toward my daughter, what are they?”  
Chase swallowed hard, steeled himself. If he didn't ask now, he'd never be able to bring himself to do it again.  
“Sir, I would like permission to court your daughter.”   
Dead silence permeated the room save for the sound of classical music coming from the TV.  
Loki looked to Eidra then back again to Chase who stood there, his resolve crumbling brick by brick.  
“Court her?”  
“Yes sir.”  
Loki walked to the couch where Brenna sat, eyes raised to him.  
“What can you offer her?” Loki stuck his hands behind his back.  
“Offer her? What do you mean?”  
Loki gave an exasperated sigh, “Gods, are you titled? Have you land? What are your prospects for the future?”  
“Chase, why do you not tell him what you plan to do after school,” Brenna's face was hopeful, wide eyed.  
“Oh, right, um....I'm an ace at computer technology. I was considering going into computer programming. There's hard core money in it especially nowadays.”  
Loki nodded, “Indeed, and your family, what are their titles?”  
“Father!” Brenna cried but Loki held out his hand as Chase croaked.  
“My dad, he's a doctor....a physician. My mom is a professional divorcee,” the remark about his mother was meant as a stab at humor but Loki's face stayed serious.  
“Your mother does not reside with your father?”  
“No sir,”   
Brenna had now hidden her face behind her hands.   
“They've been divorced for years.”  
Loki walked to one of the tall windows beside the couch, staring out at the vast front lawn of the manor, the road they had driven up to get there. He spied Eidra looking at him out of the corner of his eye.   
“I must think upon it.”  
Eidra set Cait in Brenna's arms, stroked her hair, then stood and walked over to stand beside Loki.  
“Do you not like him?” She murmured.  
Loki weighed his answer, “He comes from a broken home. It is not a question of like, but a question of whether he be appropriate.”  
“Even here on Midgard, people will be as they are, with the same emotions, dreams, failures, successes. Look at us.”  
She interlaced her fingers with his, felt him squeeze, “Therefore I should simply accept him because our beginning was flawed?”  
Eidra wrapped her other arm around his, resting her cheek against the cool fabric of his suit, “It means you should not judge him based on the sins of his parents.”   
She had come close to saying, “And he will hopefully not do likewise,” but she kept her tongue. Such a serious discussion was better started in the privacy of their own home.  
Sophie, meantime, had gotten up from the couch. “We should be starting the prep for the dinner. Why don't we all move to the staff kitchen?”


	48. 48

Sophie showed Eidra and an amazed Helgi about the kitchen as Brenna took the chickens from the refrigerator, stealing a glance every so often at her father who stood at the other side of the island with a pensive look upon his face. Chase had drawn out a cutting board and was chopping potatoes, tossing them into a pot before him. Lily sat at one of the tables with Cait who was now awake and had been given a spoon to play with.  
“And you make the flame with a turn of this circle?” Helgi bent over, “These symbols, what do they mean?”  
“That's how you set the temperature,” Sophie took hold of one of the circles and turned it to three seventy-five, listening as the pilot lit.   
“Inconceivable,” she muttered as Eidra smiled, “Imagine no wood to chop?”  
Brenna slid down to Chase, aware that her father was watching them, “You did very well.”  
Chase frowned, “Did I? I can't tell, he hasn't said anything yet.”  
“Do not be so negative, Chase.....”

Logan strode into the kitchen, headed for the refrigerator, stopping short.  
“Ah sorry guys, didn't know anyone was in here. Just headed to the fridge for a couple of beers.”   
“Not a problem, Professor,” Sophie was setting one of the chickens in a shallow baking pan, “We're just setting up dinner.”  
He met Loki's gaze with a nod and swung open the refrigerator door noting his forlorn countenance. As his hand closed around the necks of the bottles, he swore to himself, “might as well rescue the poor guy for a while, he's pretty well outnumbered.”   
Logan stretched his fingers around another beer and stood up, “Hey pal,”  
Loki looked over to him and he waggled the beers. At first Loki was confused until Logan crooked a finger at him. He glanced at Eidra who was talking with Lily at the table, then back at Logan finally turning to Eidra again, “Eidra? The professor wishes to show me around the school a bit more.”  
Eidra looked past Loki to Logan who stood, hands behind his back, waiting patiently.  
“Do not be gone overlong. We have only so much time to visit,” her eyes flitted to Brenna who was talking with Helgi and Sophie.  
“Of course, my heart.” He strode over, kissed her on the cheek and followed Logan out of the kitchen.  
Once in the corridor, Logan handed him a beer. “Nicely played.”  
“I am a quick wit when the need arises,”  
Logan smiled, “And ya catch on fast too. You looked like you needed a little relief.”  
Loki took the beer gingerly, inspecting the bottle as Logan grabbed the top and twisted it off, letting the cool steam flow out. Loki sniffed the mouth. “Interesting,” and took a swallow. “It is weaker than our ale, still...” another swallow, “it will do.”  
“Come on to the gym, Kurt made a bet with one of the teachers and I wanna see him take the guy down a notch.”  
Loki could hear the laughter in the kitchen, the chatter, “They will miss me.”  
“Ah, live a little will ya?” He steered Loki down the hall, “Besides whether Cain or Blue boy wins, it'll be a good fight.”

Kurt had his face mask in his hand when Logan walked in with Loki in tow. Kurt raised an eyebrow, pointing with his epee at Logan as they took a seat on the bleachers. Kurt stood on one end of a long mat, his opponent whom Loki recognized as Brenna's history teacher, Professor Cain, standing at the opposite end.   
“This is gonna be good.”  
Loki took another swig of the beer and settled back against the bleachers to watch.

Back and forth Kurt and Cain went, one gaining then the other. “It is much more civil than on Asgard.”  
“Well hell they don't want to kill each other. They're just settling the age old question, who's better than who,” He noticed Loki had downed half the beer, “Not bad huh.”  
Loki held the bottle up, “It is passable.”  
“Your old lady gonna get hot if you get drunk?” Logan chuckled.  
“As children, we are brought up on ale and hard cider. I seldom, if ever, succumb to the effects of one mug of ale.”  
“I know a guy like that. Can't get drunk, poor bastard. His name is Steve...”  
Cain seemed to be gaining on Kurt, the clash of epees echoing in the gym. A few students had gathered on the bleachers to watch as well. Logan saw another one slip in through the gym doors and stop mid run to stare at Loki before he continued on.  
Loki felt the bleachers bounce as the student approached them and sat down next to Logan.  
“Hey Professor,” he leaned over, looking past him to Loki, “Uh, you Brenna's dad right?”  
Loki sat up straight, “I am.”  
Brian smiled, held out his hand across Logan's lap, “I'm Brian, I'm one of your daughter's friends.”  
“Hey! Ain't you got manners?” Logan cried as Loki shook Brian's hand.  
“Sorry, professor. Where is everybody else? Last I saw y'all you's with Brenna and Miss Munroe.”  
“We ditched them in the kitchen alright?” Logan pushed him back onto the bleacher, “Now watch if you're gonna.”  
“Oh, right.” Brian sat back but every few moments, he'd steal a glance over at Loki who by now had finished his beer and was rolling the empty bottle in his hands.  
“Cut it out, kid, you're acting like a creeper,” Logan muttered.  
“My bad.” he replied, sitting back again.

Kurt took off his face plate and grinned as cheers echoed about the gym, offering his hand to a sweating Cain who pumped his hand a couple times and started to undo his gear as Kurt walked to the bleachers.  
“Well, Loki, how do you like der art of fencing?”  
“It is much too mild for my taste, it is a game more of skill, expertise.”  
“And das is what I just showed to Mister Cain.” He held his hand out and Logan placed a beer in it.  
“You have never fenced, I gather.”  
Loki smiled, “I am skilled in close combat and the sword is the one thing with which my brother cannot best me.”  
Kurt had taken half the bottle in one swallow, now he put it down and clapped his hands together, “would you care for a challenge? I would love to see how far your skills extend.”  
Loki looked to Logan who shrugged, “Hey pal, it's your funeral.”  
After a moment, he stood, removing his suit jacket and laying it on the bleacher.  
As he walked across the gym to the mat with Kurt, Logan heard behind him, “Oh man, I have gotta put this on Youtube!”  
He twisted around and pointed at Brian, “You do and I'll make sure you never see the light of day with the homework I'm gonna give ya.”  
“Aw man, and to think of the hits I woulda got.” Brian put his phone down beside him.

The gear was foreign to him, the epee much lighter than a traditional sword. He would have to get used to its heft. Kurt helped him put the faceplate on.  
“Are you sure you wish to challenge me?”  
He refrained from wondering aloud how much of a challenge it would actually be, “I relish it. Forgive me if I be a bit rusty.”  
Kurt laughed then, “You are absolutely certain?”  
Loki waved him away, “Prepare thyself.”

Eidra watched Cait mouth the spoon, wave it within an inch of her head, mouth it again. All the while she kept a watch on the kitchen doorway, expecting Loki to come through it at any time. Finally, she sighed and handed Cait to Lily. “I am going to take a walk to see if I can find Loki.”  
Lily put a hand on her arm, “I should go with you.”  
“I shall be fine. I shan't go far.”  
But Lily kept her hand on Eidra's arm, “It's also my job to see your family is safe.”  
Eidra paused, “Why would we not be?” She noticed Brenna watching their exchange and she gestured for her to come to the table, “Will you watch Cait for a few minutes. I must fetch your father.”  
Brenna took the baby, dodging another wild swing with the spoon, “Is everything alright?”  
“Of course it is,” She caressed Brenna's cheek, “We will return anon.”

His muscles ached with the strain and he was breaking a sweat but it felt wonderful to exercise such long dormant skills. Though Kurt at first needed to familiarize him with the rules of the match, he quickly caught on. He hadn't had a chance to spar in such a long time, Kurt had overwhelmed him at first but he soon gained the upper hand, nearly tipping him off his feet. He was impressed with Kurt's expertise, his grace in form and movement but he had become used to the epee now. He grunted with effort, his faceplate hiding a broad smile.

Eidra and Lily heard the clash of metal coming from the open doors of the gymnasium and they peered inside to see the bleachers occupied with a number of students and some faculty watching two people dressed all in white play with long thin swords. Eidra spied Logan sitting on the bench without Loki.  
“Where is my husband then?” She tugged at Lily's jacket, “where did he leave Loki?”  
Logan was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, hands together as he watched the match intently, so much so in fact, that he didn't notice the women until they stood one row down on the bleachers before him.  
“Professor Logan, might I ask where my husband is?”  
Logan sat back, looking up at Eidra and Lily in surprise.   
“Uh, he's sorta occupado,” he pointed across the gym at the two people sparring. Eidra at once recognized Loki's stance, the way he moved. She sat down heavily on the bleacher beside Logan, with a hand to her mouth, “Odin's beard,”  
Lily sat beside her, “What possessed him?”  
Logan rolled his eyes, “Jesus, he ain't killing anybody. It's fencing. Sparring.”  
A cry was heard from across the gym as Loki lunged forward. Everyone began clapping and cheering as Kurt removed his faceplate and held out his hand to Loki who had removed his as well.  
“I concede to der higher power,” Kurt gasped as Loki shook his hand.  
They turned, about to walk back to the bleachers when Loki saw Eidra sitting on the bleachers in front of Logan.  
“You Midgardians have colorful phrases for situations such as this, do you not?”  
Kurt nodded, “At this point I would consider der phrase, Oh shit.”  
“I shall keep it in mind.”

Eidra watched Loki walk to her, undoing the garment he wore over his shirt. “Whatever were you doing?”  
He took her hands in his, “I was having a bit of fun. Do not be cross with me.”  
She brought his hands up to her lips, “I do not wish any trouble. What if you had hurt the professor?”  
“I did not, now fret no more.”  
“I would you returned to the kitchen to visit with us.”  
He nodded to Kurt and Logan, “I thank you for the diversion. If you will excuse me, I must return to my family.”  
Logan nodded, “Sure, anytime.”  
As they walked out of the gym, Kurt looked at Logan, “Have you ever wondered whether Brenna might be right?”  
“About?”  
Kurt picked up his beer bottle, “About New york being a set up.”  
“We've seen the footage, Blue boy. The stuff that wasn't released to the public. You and I know the truth.”  
Kurt finished his beer, “Ja, Ja. It's just hard to reconcile das man vith der man ve saw.”  
“Ya gotta stop being so naïve...or so Christian....Ya know things ain't always what they seem.”  
“Perhaps,” Kurt sighed, “But can we not hope?”  
Logan knocked his empty against Kurt's, “Don't know what to tell ya, pal. I suppose people do change.”

Brenna was sitting with Cait, Helgi, Chase and Sophie in the warmth of the kitchen. The smell of the chicken permeated the air. Cait had fallen asleep on her shoulder. When her mother walked in followed by her father and Lily, Brenna was curious to see her father looked a bit disheveled. He was straightening his shirt, his face ruddy.  
Eidra glided over to Brenna, “She finally gave in?”  
“Right after you left. Where was father?”  
Eidra lifted Cait from her, “Why do you not go and ask him?”  
“But mother, you might just as easily tell me.”  
Eidra, however, had sat down at the table, Lily standing behind her. Brenna recognized the look of determination on her mother's face.  
Loki was standing at the kitchen sink, staring at the faucet as Brenna walked over to him, “I cannot recall how to work this water pump.”  
Brenna took a glass from the cupboard behind them. Turning the tap on, she drew a glass of water, handing it to her father who drained it.  
“It tastes nothing like our well at home.”  
“I know.”  
The silence deepened until Brenna caught his eye, “Where were you?”  
“I was learning to fence Midgardian style.”  
Brenna was shocked, “Professor Wagner showed you?”  
“Rather I showed him how to spar Asgardian style.” He gave a quick smile which faded, “What do you think I should tell your suitor?”  
The question was sudden, his attention never wavered from the stainless steel sink he was now staring into.  
“I cannot tell you what to say, Father, because my answer would be self-serving.”  
He reached out to draw more water and she pointed to the opposite handle, “This is the cold water.”  
He refilled the glass then, but held it in his hand without drinking it, “What do you know of his family, truly? Only that which he tells you, am I correct?”  
She crossed her arms before her, now on the offensive, “Yes, is that not enough?”  
“A man will lie if he believes it will help his cause.”  
Frustration was starting to overwhelm her as she clapped her hands atop her head, her words delivered in an angry whisper.  
“It is different here on Midgard. Family backgrounds do not matter as much so there is little reason for him to lie. He is honest, trustworthy.”  
“Background may not be important to Midgardians, but he seeks to court on an Asgardian level and therefore, it matters. You are a princess, are you not?”  
Brenna backed further from him, “So you will say no?”  
To her surprise, he gave a short laugh, “You are a world apart here at this school. I doubt my disapproval will carry much weight,” He looked over at her, “Do I speak the truth?”  
She pulled her gaze away from him though she gave no answer.  
“I thought as much, should I demand you return home with us then?”  
“You could do so,” Her eyes flashed angrily, “But I would not remain. I would run again.”  
The disappointment in his face was painful to witness and she chose to focus her attention elsewhere, on her family sitting at the table, talking.  
“This I know to be true.” He finished his water, putting the empty glass in the sink, seemed to falter, then straightened up, heading past her to where Eidra sat, watching them.  
“Father?”  
He stopped at the end of the kitchen island, glancing over his shoulder.  
“When will you begin to trust my judgment?”  
He tapped his fingers on the counter top, “When I see evidence that it is trustworthy.”

Eidra noticed the set of his jaw as he sat down beside her and the defeated posture of Brenna who was leaning on the island, head in her hands.  
“What has happened?”  
“Nothing.”  
She sighed, “Very well then, you have nothing to be upset about.”  
Loki bristled at her play of words but held his tongue.

Brenna felt a pair of arms about her waist as she leaned over the island, trying to calm herself. She stood up to find Fen whom she gathered into a hug.   
“Will you come home with us?” He murmured.  
“Not this time” She brushed his hair from his upturned face.   
“Mama and Papa wish you were home.”  
She bent over and took his chin in her hand. “I will not be gone forever, I promise.”  
“Then may I stay with you?” He gave her a wide grin.  
“No, you little worm. You're too young to stay here. You would be underfoot, an annoying little pest.”  
“When I am older then?”  
“Then I shall be out of school.”  
She didn't have the heart to tell him the basic requirements for the school. He hadn't shown any talents like hers save for a bit of spell magic.  
“We shall see. Perhaps I shall put in a good word for you. I shall start by saying “Miss Munroe, my little worm of a brother..”   
Fen giggled, burying his face in her stomach, “I will be a big worm then.”  
A shrill beep drew her attention. Chase and Sophie were already at the stove. She put her hands on Fen's shoulders, “Do you want to help get dinner ready?”  
“No!”   
But she was already steering him towards the table where plates, silverware and cups had been stacked at the ready.  
“Yes you do. Now give each person one cup, one plate and utensils.”  
“Brennnn...,” Fen whined but Loki cutting him short.  
“Do as your sister says.”  
Fen frowned as he began to set the table, sticking out his tongue at Brenna who returned the gesture, making Fen giggle again. The exchange tugged at her heart. These were the times, the things she missed about being home.  
Chase elbowed her as she stood staring into space, “Come on, I'm not going to serve this meal all by myself.”

Helgi insisted on cutting up the chickens herself, making quick work of both carcasses, the meat laid out on a platter.  
“You should keep the bones to make soup,” Helgi carried the plate of bones to the kitchen island.  
Eidra had Cait on her lap, feeding her tiny spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and minced chicken. Fen, for his part, devoured the chicken on his plate but pushed the vegetables around until Loki put his hand atop Fen's head, “Do not play.”  
Brenna watched her mother and father as they ate, trying to gauge their reactions until finally Loki speared a piece of dark meat and held it up before him.  
“Well done....,”he nodded, “Well done.”  
Sophie elbowed Brenna, giving her a thumbs up beneath the edge of the table.   
At last Brenna and Sophie started to clear the plates away, exchanging them for heavy ceramic bowls. As she stood at the refrigerator taking the ice cream from the freezer, Brenna heard her father start to speak.  
“Master Wells.”  
She turned to see Chase, his face serious, “Yes sir?”  
In her head, Brenna began to chant, “Do not embarrass me, do not embarrass me!”  
“In the past, you have shown a blatant disregard for school rules.”  
Chase met Loki's easy stare, “Sir, show me a person who hasn't broken the rules once or twice.”  
She flinched at his response but her father's reply in the form of a hearty laugh nearly made her drop the stack of bowls in her hands.  
“Well met! Tell me then, boy, how am I to be assured you will abide by the rules I set ere I permit you to court Brenna?”  
Brenna stood stunned at the conversation unfolding before her until Sophie nudged her and whispered, “You okay?”  
She could only nod, watching Chase consider his answer.   
“I don't suppose you could sir. You would just have to trust us.”  
Loki's eyes flitted to Brenna then back to Chase, “Both you and my daughter are of one mind.”

When Loki had started to speak to him, Chase felt every muscle in his body tense. His shoulders were starting to ache with the strain. The feeling of terror that had taken root in the pit of his stomach started to grow as Loki sat, drumming his fingers on the table.  
“I could tell you I expect you to be chaperoned at all times. I could limit the amount of time you spend together. Where you meet and when.”  
Brenna walked on jerky legs towards the table with the ice cream and the bowls, setting them in the middle of the table, Sophie bringing the toppings for the ice cream and the spoons.   
Fen reached for the container of ice cream and squealed, “It is cold like ice!”  
“I thought we would have something you have never tried before.” Brenna hated the false sound of cheerfulness in her voice.  
“What is it?” Fen turned the carton around as if trying to make sense of the foreign words. Chris had only just started to teach him the English alphabet before he'd passed away.  
“It is called chocolate chip ice cream.” She set a couple of scoops in his bowl first, “You want toppings?”  
“What are they?” He was practically lying on top of the table, Loki had to pull him back to his seat.  
“Strawberry, chocolate and sprinkles.” She pointed to each bottle in turn.  
“Strawberry!”   
“Fenris, mind your manners,” Loki warned him.  
Fen tapped his lips with his fingertips, “Strawberry, please.”  
“Eat it slow or you will get a brain freeze.”She warned as she poured the strawberry syrup over the ice cream,   
Fen poked at the white and red lump with his spoon, “What is a brain freeze?”  
Eidra grabbed the bowl Sophie had set before her, pulling it out of the way just before Cait's hand settled on the rim, “Do you recall eating the fruit ices from the market in the summer months and crying because your head hurt? Brenna means a cold headache.”  
Fen gingerly took a spoonful of the ice cream, licked it and smiled, “This is better than fruit ice!”  
Loki nodded, “A rare treat. I had something similar when I attended a banquet at King Freyr's castle one season.”  
Helgi held a spoonful in the air, “It is like the cold puddings we make though much thicker.”  
Lily picked up her bowl, “You've never had ice cream?”  
“No.” Helgi took another spoonful, “A pity is it not?”  
Cait seemed to love the cold confection.  
“It likely feels good on her new teeth,” Eidra laughed as Cait bit down on the spoon, unwilling to let it go.  
Loki rested his elbows on the table, his hands clasped before his chin, watching Brenna as she ate, wondering what it was that so often stuck his tongue to the roof of his mouth, stopped his words when he tried to talk to his eldest daughter. Astrid had advised him to make amends, could she have meant with Brenna? She'd said the caterpillar could not transform into a butterfly without his help. Brenna was still a young woman. Could Astrid have been warning him to heal the rift between them? How would he do such a thing? Perhaps allow Chase to court her? Propose that she return to Asgard with a promise to let her stay at the palace like she wished? Sophie whispered something in her ear and she laughed aloud, her hand over her mouth. The grandest castle in the nine realms would not tear her away from her friends here. Loki pursed his lips together, ice cream forgotten in his bowl.  
It was closing on seven thirty by the time they piled the dishes into the sink. Helgi had wanted to help clean up but Sophie reassured her they would tend to it later and they all returned to the reception room to wait for the limo to return. As the minutes ticked away, Eidra grew more agitated. She had dreaded the end of the day from the very beginning, a feeling which grew as she watched Brenna sit with Fen laughing at another mindless cartoon.  
Loki too, seemed restless, pacing back and forth, stopping to look down at Cait who'd fallen asleep in Eidra's arms, glancing out the window at the long driveway, illuminated by the peach glow of tungsten light poles. Finally, he walked over to Brenna, “Fen, I must talk to your sister.”  
Fen, who had been draped across Brenna's lap, groaned but crawled off her to curl up at one end of the couch, his eyes bleary with sleep, still trained on the TV.  
Brenna stood up to follow her father, casting a nervous eye at her mother as they passed, until he stopped at the window a bit distant from the others. It had started to snow again and he gazed out the window at the fat flakes drifting to the ground. Brenna was on the verge of asking him what he wished to talk about when he reached into the collar of his shirt and withdrew the Uruz, slipping it over his head. Coiling its leather thong into his palm, he took her hand, closing it over the shimmering disc. She felt her throat ache with tears as the cool stone throbbed against her skin.  
“I wish you to have the Uruz. It was always meant to be yours. You have proved yourself worthy, mature..”  
She wanted to take it, wanted to sit down and talk with him, ask the questions she needed answers to. She wanted not to be afraid of him anymore. A flash of light passed across the window making them both turn to see the limo heading up the driveway and she knew none of what she wanted would happen today.  
“I cannot take it, Father,” she pushed his hand back to him, saddened by the look of despair on his face.  
“Why? Is this not what you wanted? It would give you the ability to come and go as you pleased.”  
“That is the problem. It would be too easy to run away when I was frustrated with my schoolwork or became homesick. I fear I would abuse it. I am not yet ready to take possession of such power.”  
He looked lost, mouth open to speak though words failed him.  
“Father, do not be upset with me.”  
He shook his head, slowly at first, then more vigorously, “I am not upset, merely confused. I wish...”   
The knock at the foyer door cut him short as Lily ran to answer it. Stark and Thor strode into the reception room. Loki noted the wide smile on Thor's face and nodded to him. Brenna turned to them running to greet Thor, “Uncle!,”   
He hefted her up into a great hug as Loki slowly hung the Uruz back around his neck.  
“You have grown so!”  
Brenna heard the sniffle as Thor set her down. Eidra was wrapping Cait in her blanket, readying her for the cold night air. Brenna sat down beside heron the couch, wrapping her arms around Eidra's shoulders as Eidra burst into tears.  
“I promised myself I would not cry but I am weak. I so wish you would come home, my lamb.”  
“I shall Mama, I swear it. I will finish my studies and come for a visit.”  
“To stay, not to visit. My sky is missing its bright star without you there,” she wiped her eyes, hugging Brenna's arms to her.  
“I will come home again, only let me prove I can do this.”  
Eidra nodded, “I will, learn all you can, see all you wish, then return to Asgard. I will be there waiting for you.”  
Eidra held Cait up to Lily, stood and gave Brenna a fierce hug. Helgi, who was standing at Eidra's side, stroked Brenna's face, “Come home soon, poppet.”   
Brenna watched the women walk out to the limo where the driver held open the door for them. Thor walked over to the couch where Fen had finally succumbed to sleep and hefted him up.  
“I will take him to the limousine, Brother. Say your goodbyes.”  
Loki walked up to Chase and reached out his hand. Chase took and shook it.  
“Master Wells, let it be known that I receive progress reports about Brenna. I also receive reports when she has misbehaved,” Truth be told, he had not heard a bad word about her yet, save the hospital incident but Chase need not know it, “I will doubtless hear of your relationship and any trouble in the future. Take care and treat her well, do you ken?”  
Chase's voice was tremulous but his answer was firm, “I understand, sir. I will treat her like the princess she is.”  
He then turned to Sophie, taking her hand and bussing it lightly, “She is fortunate to have such a faithful friend in you, Milady. Thank you for your hospitality.”  
Brenna was standing in the doorway leading to the foyer, trying to stop her lip from trembling as Loki approached. She was sure he was going to sail out the door without another word but he paused before her and took her face in his hands. This rare expression of affection at once startled and touched her as as he kissed her forehead gently, lingering a moment.  
“It is my fervent wish that one day you will feel you may talk freely to me.”  
She yearned to throw her arms about him, feel his embrace in return but her arms felt held fast to her sides. She could only reply, “And it is my wish for you as well.”  
He let her go then, turned away, hiding the tear that slid down his cheek and he was gone. She stood in the doorway, watching the limo pull away from the mansion. She was no longer a child. He had been willing to give her the Uruz, he trusted her. When next she saw him, she swore she would forge a new path into their relationship. She felt lighter than she had in countless seasons as she closed the door with a smile.

As they sped towards the city, Eidra asleep on his shoulder, the others in similar repose, Stark on his phone, Loki looked over to Thor.  
“Did you find her?”  
Thor's grin spoke volumes, “I did.”  
“And?”  
“And what? We spoke.”  
Loki kicked his foot, “You oaf, of what did you speak?”  
“What would you like to know? We spoke of countless things. I spoke of bringing her to visit Asgard. About making her a queen.”  
“A lie? Brother, I am shocked.”  
“It was no lie,” Thor sat forward, “Were I to charge Sif with adultery, I would be allowed to bring her before the High Council and ask for the bonds to be dissolved.”  
“And will you?” Loki looked up at the night sky through the sun roof.  
“Perhaps, we must talk more upon it. I must speak with Father as well.”  
“You will be happy then?”  
“As happy as you,” Thor returned the gentle kick.  
“I am not so sure of that,” He pulled Eidra closer to him, leaned back into the seat and closed his eyes.


	49. 49

The little towns pass by in one continuous blur as Chase reclined in the back of the black Escalade. Even after two weeks, whenever he thought about shaking Loki's hand, passing his muster, he felt empowered like he'd faced the biggest challenge of his life and come out the winner.  
He'd been scared, he couldn't lie to himself. Before Loki arrived, the only image Chase had retained of him had been the crazed father ready to drag his daughter bodily out of the school. When Loki finally stood before him, however, he was simply a man. A father, charismatic, serious, yes, but still just a man like himself. Brenna had warned that he was powerful, yet he'd displayed no feats of strength, he'd cast no spells, called down no hellfire. Chase thought he could actually like him if he tried.  
After the visit, Brenna seemed to become more positive, cheerful even, as if a great weight had been lifted from her soul. That Christmas had been the best one of his life hands down. They had spent Christmas eve and the whole next day together with the small group of kids who had stayed at the school for the holiday. They'd watched Christmas specials, played games with the other students, and eaten themselves into a stupor. Then they'd spent the rest of the week enjoying the break and hanging out with friends. He had almost called his father to tell him he wouldn't be coming home for New Year's eve but Brenna had convinced him to go regardless and he had reluctantly agreed. He hated the thought of missing the New Year's eve bonfire at the school. As Harry held the door for him that morning when he climbed into the Escalade, he could see them building the wood pile down by the lake.  
When they turned down the private drive leading to the contemporary mansion nestled amongst landscaped lawns and ancient oak trees, buttressed up against the up-slope of a small mountain, he began to feel anxious, uptight. He knew his father would play twenty questions about what was going on at school but that would likely be tomorrow. Today, as they neared the mansion, he could see half a dozen white catering vans parked out front. Missing the bonfire was bad. Attending his father's annual New Year's eve party was worse. His father would circulate amongst his guests, three quarters of whom Chase didn't know, leaving him to wander around, eating, drinking and staying out of the way.   
The Escalade rolled to a stop and he hopped out, turning to Harry who had been reaching for the handle to let him out. “My father here?”  
“He is out at the present time. He had business to attend to at the hospital this morning.”  
“He's at the hospital on New Year's eve day?” The phone in Chase's hand went off. He looked at the screen. Another text from Brenna.  
“When you're the man in charge, you don't get a break.” Harry slid back into the driver's seat and Chase bounded up the front stairs where the door was already opening. A tall thin man with white blond hair and eyes the color of blue ice stood just inside, nodding to him.  
“Hey Adam.”  
Adam had been his father's valet for the last fifteen years. With a wave, Chase ran up the curved main staircase to the second floor balcony, stopping to look down into the foyer through the two tiered chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. Once in his room, he shut the door behind him, turned on his computer, and sent Brenna a text. “I'm going to be online, mssg me there.” He took his Ipod out of his jeans pocket and stuck the earbuds in. Maybe this visit wouldn't be so bad were his father to let him alone in his room for the remainder of the time. He knew it wasn't about to happen but he could hope. He sat down in his computer chair and began to type to Brenna.

Jesse traced circles on his chest with her finger as she lay on her side, her head in her hand.   
“If I thought you could be trusted, I'd bring you to the party tonight,” David rolled over to face her, cupping her chin in his hand.  
She burrowed beneath the covers, taking him in her hand again.  
“Or you could stay here with me.”  
“Jesse,” he groaned aloud, “you know I have to be at that party. After all it's at my house.”  
She giggled, he'd probably have a ton of food there, important people. She could find a rich old bastard, promise him the ride of his life in exchange for a ride of her own.   
She hunched down, took him in her mouth, felt his hand atop her head and was struck with another case of the giggles. Men were so fucking easy to control, even the ones that thought they had it all together. She popped up, draping her leg over his hip, “I would behave, you know I would.”  
David hugged her tight to him as he sat up and swung his legs over the floor, “No you wouldn't. I have to go. My son is coming home from school. He's probably there now.”  
He slid his legs into his pants and stood up, silently cursing himself for his weakness. “I'll visit you tomorrow.”  
She kicked the covers off, reaching for her sweat pants to pull them on, “Thanks for the fucking favor. Enjoy your party.”  
Davd picked up the clipboard he'd dropped to the floor in the heat of passion, tucked it under his arm then knocked on the door which swung open. Leroy stepped back to allow David out of the room, sneering at Jesse.   
Jesse sat on the edge of her bed, feeling his spend seep out to dampen the crotch of her pants. A line had been crossed, one she had worked hard at. Freedom was closer than it had been before, she just had to work a little harder at it. She smiled at her own pun as the door clicked shut.

 

Chase had retreated to his bed. Brenna had been helping with the prep for the New Year's festivities and so had fallen silent for the time being. He tried to doze off but the sounds of metal clanging, doors slamming, people talking, barking orders had kept him awake. Finally, with a sigh, he jumped up and started pawing through his closet for something decent to wear to the party.

David was so deep in thought, he was well past the driveway, three miles in fact, before he realized where he was. He turned around in the parking lot of a little convenience store and headed back the way he'd come.   
For the second time in as many weeks on his daily rounds, he'd found Jesse waiting for him, this time in her bed. He was aware of the fact she was manipulating him, exploiting his obvious desire for her, but he was only human. His infatuation had long ago grown into obsession. The demarcation line was easily crossed when he had visited her on Christmas eve. He had been feeling lonely, wondering whether he had chosen the right path in life. She had set him on the bed, announced she had a present for him to open and had proceeded to perform a slow striptease act. His resolve had suffered a sudden violent death as he'd tossed her onto the mattress. He hadn't even bothered to remove pants, unzipping his fly and taking her, sprawled across the bed covers.   
He pulled around the circular driveway, putting the Lincoln in park. As he got out of the car, Harry was already waiting. He dodged around David and sat down in the drivers seat. David watched the car head for the garage and chuckled to himself. He was actually considering preparing a room at the mansion for Jesse. He knew how close he was coming to ruining his career for her but if she were here in the mansion, he would have more time to study her. At least that was what he was telling himself. He would be able to try different medications and record her reactions.  
He'd talked with one of the other doctors on the ward, bypassing Egan altogether, about a round of electroshock therapy. The resurgence of the technique was meeting with good reviews. The patient would be put under rendering the procedure painless. The patient would then wake up refreshed. Of course there were side effects. In particular, a condition referred to in medical circles as swiss cheese brain. The therapy tended to create holes in a patient's memory. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing in Jesse's case.  
He trotted up the stairs, drawn to Chase's room by loud music. He cracked open the door and peeked in. Chase was standing in front of the long mirror in his room, turning one way then the other, surveying his image, hard rock blaring out of the speakers on his computer. David quietly closed the door again. He would catch up with Chase later on. Right now he needed to see to preparations for the party. He headed back down the stairs to find Adam.

 

Loki suspected Thor had an ulterior motive for showing up upon their doorstep that morning before dawn. Of course, he had asked Loki to join him on the hunt and so Loki had taken a haunch of cold roast rabbit, leftovers from the previous evening meal, from the cold cellar, a hunk of bread, and an apple, wrapped them in cloth and put them in his satchel. He'd then stolen into the bedchamber, kissed Eidra and promised he'd be home for evening meal.  
As they rode past his lands, north on the road out of Rialo, through into the countryside and beyond, the day grew brighter until Loki ventured to ask at one point if he intended to chase the game through the streets of Asgard proper. Thor had laughed, said they would not be traveling so far as that but they kept riding until the sun was at its zenith in the sky and Thor turned his horse down an overgrown rutted track. The trees on either side hung low with undisturbed snowfall, showering them with glittering sunlit crystal as they passed beneath.   
“Thor, what are you about? You brought me out here to hunt did you not?” He brushed the snow from his shoulders.  
“My reasons for this trip are twofold. Have patience, Brother.”  
“Indeed?” Loki took in the surrounding woodland, “Am I to be privy to a new hunting ground filled with game?”  
Thor looked at him, “To be sure there is game on this land.”  
The track started to widen out, the branches to rise higher over their heads and Loki could see up ahead, glimpsed through the brush, a large building.   
“What are you up to? Come now, I have played along, wasted half a day.”  
Thor drove his horse to trot ahead into the clearing that opened up to reveal before them, a large manor house built of gray and brown fieldstone with wings extending from either side. High arching mullioned windows decorated the facade punctuated in the center by a door which looked to have been painted forest green but now had weathered to pale viridian.  
A path in the snow had been cleared to the door. In places around the outer walls, weeds and twiggy briar bushes poked through the snow covering. In the spring it would likely be overgrown with brush and weeds.   
“Well? What say you?”  
Loki was quiet for a moment, listening to the birdsong, Lightning's heavy breathing, watching the melting snow drip from the eaves.   
“I would ask whether this was to be your summer home.”  
Thor urged his horse over to Loki and clapped him on the back, “No brother, 'tis yours.”  
Loki stared at him, “I have no need for a summer home.”  
Thor laughed as he dismounted from his horse. “Gods, no. I mean it is to be your new home.”  
Loki remained in the saddle, “I did not ask for a new home.”   
Thor patted his calf, tugging at his boot, “Nevertheless, here it stands. Come see it.”  
Loki hesitated, bit his lip then slid to the ground. They trudged through the snow to the path and stopped at the door where Loki muttered, “You've gone insane.”  
Thor ignored him, opened the door and guided him inside. At each step, dust motes danced in the sunbeams shining through the windows. It was cold enough inside to see their breaths and Thor pulled his cloak tighter about him. Loki surveyed the room, vaguely reminded of Fin's house with its grand furnishings. There was little here to compare though the house itself seemed of fine workmanship. There was an intricately carved staircase of dark wood leading to a second floor balcony which crossed over to lead down the other side of the room back to the first floor. Beneath the staircase was a hallway leading to another door. He walked into the room on his right which was aglow with soft sunlight. A wide fireplace graced the far wall. It was nearly tall enough to stand in. He reached out a hand to the mantle, finding it white marble.   
“Come upstairs.” Thor's voice echoed in the empty chamber.  
“I see no use.”  
“Then to humor your brother.”  
Loki looked at him across the wide room.  
“What say you to a direct command from your king then?”  
Loki moved not a muscle save for the frown upon his face.  
“Please?”  
His frown deepened but he trudged up the stairs behind Thor to the balcony.  
“Now turn.”   
Loki looked down to the foyer.  
“A grand view is it not?”   
Loki gripped the railing before him, “A bit dusty.”  
“You must use your imagination, come.”  
He followed Thor into one of the large rooms off the landing. “The master bedroom. I could have your old bed brought from the palace. It would be quite at home here.”  
Loki stood in the doorway watching Thor walk about the empty bedroom then rush up to him, “The kitchen is huge, you must see it to believe it.”  
Thor pushed by him to head across the balcony.  
“Thor.”  
Thor trooped down the opposite staircase towards the first floor, “Thor!”  
As his boots hit the last step, “Brother!”   
He looked up to the balcony where Loki still stood, “Come down...the kitchen..”  
“Why are you showing me this house?”  
Thor started back up the stairs, “Did you not hear me before? The house is yours.”  
Loki shook his head, “My house is in Rialo.”  
Thor reached the landing again, “But it does not have to be. This manor house is ideal. It was deeded to the kingdom upon the death of the widow of Ulrich Ericson. I had no need of it and so it has fallen into slight disrepair. You had said you were considering moving closer to Asgard. Were you not serious?”  
Loki sighed. He had indeed said such a thing though only to goad Sif but now he had been called on it.  
“It is a short ride to the city. You could be in Asgard in no time at all.” Thor pointed out one of the windows beside the front door and Loki was surprised that he could indeed see the distant spires of the palace just above the treetops.   
“And of what importance is my distance from the city?”  
Thor grabbed him suddenly by the shoulders, “You could resume the duties of your title, take your place at my side once again.”  
Loki was already shaking his head, “No, no, no. Eidra would disapprove, I am sure of it.”  
“I need an adviser, one whom I can count on, whom I can trust to be loyal.” Thor squeezed his shoulders.  
“How do you know you may trust me? Whatever has changed?” Loki backed from his grasp to start back down the staircase, Thor following right behind him.  
“You are a changed man. Your family is your most precious treasure. You maintain your life through the sweat of your own brow. You have endeavored to raise your children well. I see no reason to doubt your loyalty if your integrity is to be believed.”  
Loki stopped, looking up the staircase at him, “And the citizens of Asgard, the Aesir, they would feel the same? They would not upbraid you for reinstating a criminal to the High Council?”  
“A criminal I created,” Thor was even with him now, and Loki could detect the glimmer of tears in Thor's eyes,“I wish to make amends, I yearn to right the wrongs, restore your title. I am king, they would take me at my word were I to vouch for you.”  
“ 'Twas not you alone who made me what I was...”  
Thor crossed his arms, “I had a hand in it to be sure.”  
Loki massaged the bridge of his nose, “Why are we visiting such somber memories? I left Rialo eager for the hunt, not to give rise to long buried disagreements.”  
“Then say you will take this manor....and the position. Is there nothing I might do to amend the grief I caused?”  
Loki stood at the bottom of the stairs gazing about the empty house, taken aback at Thor's passionate plea.  
“My family consists of myself, my children, my wife, a housekeeper who is getting on in years and a middling aged woman. How would we maintain such a house...were we to agree upon the move?”  
Thor was at once excited, pacing, waving his hands about as he spoke, his cloak swirling around his feet, “I would provide servants for you and a stipend befitting a prince of the realm to run the manor. Sif has many ladies in waiting, I could spare Ingrid for Eidra. Her family lives not far from here. There are hectares of land with the manor, you could still farm it!”  
Thor turned him around, pointing to the second floor, “Did you not tell me that Eidra is with child again as well? You could have a brood of ten children with a house as big as this.”   
The ghost of a smile play about Loki's lips as Thor shook him, “Ah, see, I know your desires. Grant your King, your brother, this one wish.”  
Loki had his hand at his mouth, staring about the room, “I do not see how I would be able to convince Eidra...”  
“If need be, I shall ask upon bended knee. I shall beg her!” Thor caught him in a great embrace, “Come, comfort me with the true warmth of family. Together we shall maintain the kingdom, hunt, feast, sport as we did in our youth.”  
Loki shoved him away, “There shall be no such sport as we had. My head wishes to remain firmly attached to my shoulders but it matters not, I tell you. I do not know whether she shall agree to such a move.”  
“But you will try? Tell her she may attend court as a lady.”  
“Ah, she thinks nothing of such titles,” Loki scowled, “Nor of such amusements as spending her days languishing in silks and satins at the feet of nobles.”  
Loki opened the door, leaving the cold dustiness of the manor for the sunshine.  
“Let me ponder this on our return home. Not only shall I have to think of an excuse as to why I was out hunting all day yet did not bring any game home, but I shall have to ask her to move from the only home we have ever known together.”  
Thor nodded vigorously as they mounted their horses again.  
“Brother, you ask more of me than you know.”

Thor rode with him to the halfway point between Asgard and Rialo, leaving him to return to the palace only after Loki had sworn to make every effort to convince Eidra of the virtues such a move would contain. The sun had been cut in half by the horizon when he led Lightning into his stall for fresh water and hay.  
As he neared the barn, he heard the hiss of milk streaming into a pail, soft murmurs, and the glow of a lantern light thrown onto the new snow through the barn door. He peered inside to see Eidra sitting upon the milking stool, her forehead pressed to the side of their newest edition to the herd, Marta. She had tied her chestnut hair back but a few strands had escaped, circling her head like a halo, her dark blue cloak fanned out behind her. His heart leapt as he thought of the new life growing within her again. His greatest joy carrying his proudest achievement.   
He leaned against the door frame, watching her deft movements, the curve of her shoulders, every action a study in grace and beauty. Why should she not be treated like a lady? Attend Council functions? Receive curtsies instead of giving them? A half smile came to his lips. Of course Sif would be enraged to see him return to his role as prince regent. She would seethe every time he appeared at Thor's side, every time she was made to acknowledge Eidra as an equal. It was a sight he fervently wished to see.  
Eidra stood with a groan, bent backwards to stretch the stiffness from her body. She then lifted the pails, turned and screeched, the milk sloshing to the rims.  
“Loki, you imp! Would it have put you out to make your presence known?”  
With a laugh, he strode forward and took her face, ruddy with the cold, in his hands, “How fortunate am I that you are a forgiving woman.”   
At her gentle smile, he leaned in, pressing a kiss to her lips, igniting that eternally present spark that burst within her, almost loosing her grip on the pail handles as their tongues met and she backed away, “My heart, the milk.”  
He reached down, taking both pails from her, “Fetch the lantern.”  
She walked a couple of steps ahead of him, holding the lantern to light their path, “Did you find any game?”  
He grimaced, “None I fear.”  
She looked over her shoulder at him, “From dawn to dusk you hunted and you found nothing?”  
“I have done so before. I cannot expect to come back with game every time I hunt.”  
“Mmmm. What was the King up to then?”  
Loki was glad of the darkness, he felt the flush of color at the question.  
“Nothing, save the hunt.” He winced at the lie but it was temporary, he reassured himself, “You should have had Fen help you.”  
Eidra shook her head, “I left him alone. For the first time since Chris's passing, he brought out his toy ark to play with. I was loathe to break the spell.”  
She opened the door to the cottage. Fen was by the fire with his animals lined up upon the hearth. Eidra hung the lantern on the hook beside the fireplace as Loki set the pails on the table and surveyed the home he had lived in for the past eight seasons, the happy memories they'd made, the sad ones as well, .   
Helgi and Sally took the pails from the table. He knew one would go to making cheese and butter. Cait was playing quietly in her pen but Loki couldn't help himself. He picked her up and kissed her cheek, blowing raspberries against her neck. Her resulting squeal and wide smile buoyed him, urging him to boldness.   
“Eidra, do you recall when I talked to Thor of moving closer to the city?”  
Eidra was hanging her cloak on the peg, “Yes, what of it?”   
She walked towards him, holding her hands out. Cait leaned towards her, mouth wide.   
“My little nestling, am I nothing but a breast to you?” She rubbed noses with Cait.  
“There is an opportunity that has been afforded us.”  
Her eyes grew wide as she clutched Cait to her, “No.”  
“Eidra will you please listen?”  
She sat in the rocking chair, unlacing her bodice, her lips pursed tight.  
“Hear me out.”  
She lay Cait in the crook of her arm, brushing the nipple to her lips, watching as she started to nurse, “Say no more. This is our home.”  
He knelt beside the rocking chair, “Thor has shown me a manor house not far distant from the halls of Asgard.”  
She kept her gaze upon Cait, saw his hand steal to the swell of her breast, stroke it gently, the warm tingle upon her skin as her milk letting down and she shifted her eyes to his.   
“The manor was deeded to the kingdom and now stands vacant. He wishes us to have it.”  
He stroked Cait's hair. She had developed short waves of black hair, darker than her siblings, soft as silk.  
“And we would then be beholden to him?”  
Loki gripped her arm, “We shall not. Thor said he would deed the manor and lands to us.”  
She stared at him, “I cannot believe I am looking at the same man who such a short time ago swore he would never leave his land, this village?”  
Loki stood up, aware of three pairs of eyes upon them, “Our home this may be but we have never been a part of this village.”  
“Why say you such a thing?”   
“Eidra, you have listened to me tell of the times I visit the alehouse?” he began to pace the common room, “Not one man in the village, save Vedic, will drink a pint with me, nay, they barely speak to me. Pray tell me, how many hearths have you been a guest at in Rialo? Ren's, Sally's? The others do not extend their hospitality because of me.”  
Eidra pulled Cait closer, her hand atop her little fist, “And think you we would be as welcome in a new village? I have no need of the friendship of a handful of gossipy women. I have my family here.”  
Fen had stopped playing now, sitting with a toy in his hand, frozen as he listened to his mother and father. Helgi motioned to him, catching his attention as he jumped up and ran to her.  
“Let them talk,” Helgi cooed, “play over here upon the table.”  
Cait had stopped suckling and had now taken to fidgeting so Eidra sat her upright on her knee, patting her back. “And if it is a manor, as you say, however would we maintain it? I am with child, there will come a time when I cannot be of much help. Will the burden of the work fall to Helgi?”  
Loki squatted before her, “We would be provided a household, servants.”  
“I can scarce believe you are even pondering...what has your brother put into your head that you would be so willing to uproot the entire household?”  
He stood again, “He wishes me to return to palace life. To resume my role as prince regent, be his adviser....”  
“No!” she cried, startling Cait who began to wail. She at once turned the baby around, holding her to her shoulder. Sally appeared at her side, opening her arms. “Here let me take her into the bedchamber.”  
Helgi ushered Fen behind Sally as Eidra stood up from the chair to face Loki, “You would re-enter that political snake pit? You who denied Brenna the chance to live at the palace and learn the ways of the court?”  
“As did you.”  
“And yet you would return willingly now?”  
He tried to take her hand but she pulled back from him.  
“What if such a move were to lure Brenna to return? If I were to offer her a place at the palace?”  
Eidra put her hands to her mouth, “Oh Loki. Listen to yourself. We struggled, we fought so hard to be free of Asgard. Do you not remember how it tore us apart?”  
“You would be a lady. Thor wishes to make amends with us, not simply myself, but you as well do you not see?”  
“And he thinks drawing you back into palace life, trying to buy my favor, would make up for the horrible wrongs he has done to you?”  
Loki wanted to shout of the wrongs he himself had committed in return, wanted to tell her what Thor's offer meant to him, Thor's acceptance, their mutual forgiveness but he fell mute. The look upon his face seemed to move Eidra, however, and she took his hands in hers, “I fear losing you to Asgard, I fear that you will come to prefer the palace, that one day you will no longer return to my arms...”  
He stopped her protests with his mouth, slipping a hand behind her head, cradling her precious form to him, “I would rather die a thousand deaths than spend a night away from your side. You must know this,” he groaned, held her closer, his head upon her shoulder, “If it be so repugnant to you, I will say no more of it.”  
She could feel the thunder of his heart to hers, slid her arms about his neck, burying her face to his tunic as they held each other for a long time, comforting, speaking soft words of love.

Thus it came that evening when they lay entwined together, Eidra put her hand to his face. “Helgi will watch the children on the morrow so you might show me this grand house you speak of.”  
Loki nodded, melting into her embrace, the last thought before he drifted to sleep, wondering at how he could love someone so completely, so deeply. He would proudly see her at his side before all of Asgard one day, there would be no need to hide her away ever again, she would finally be afforded the respect she deserved, she would be a lady.


	50. 50

Around about seven that evening, the guests started to arrive. Chase's father had transformed the giant glass atrium at the rear of the mansion into a veritable nightclub complete with rows of multicolored lights, mirror balls and a DJ. Chase wished he had asked permission to bring Brian along but it was too late now. He walked around the pool, trying to spot people he knew. One of the hostesses draped a blue necklace about Chase's neck with the blinking number 2024 hanging off it. He scooped a glass of champagne from a passing tray, found an empty corner looking out the leaded windows at the floodlit lawn, wondering what Brenna was doing at that moment.

She had to keep her feet moving. She was so cold. She could scarce fathom how her father and brother seemed immune to the ice and snow. She looked down at her cell phone, “Damnit.”  
“What up, girl?” Brian nudged her.  
“The bars have disappeared again. I cannot text Chase.”  
He shrugged, “Beggars can't be choosers. That phone was given to you. You wanna use mine?”  
“No, then he would be texting your phone all night. The bars will come back eventually. Maybe the warming hut.”   
She headed for one of the little huts that formed a semicircle a distance from the pile of wood with Sophie, Brian and Rachel in tow.  
Kurt was in the hut, sitting behind a long counter, pouring hot chocolate into styrofoam cups.  
“Der cold is too much for you?” he handed Brenna a cup noting how she hovered over it.  
“I have not the constitution for winter weather.”  
“A pity, der northern winters are long.”  
“As they are on Asgard. It does not mean I enjoy them.”  
The cell phone in her pocket beeped once, twice. She set her cup down on the counter and scrambled to pull her phone out, finally succeeding. “It is Chase.”  
She read the text aloud, “What is up, sweetheart? The party is just starting here.” and started to text him back.

 

“...Here as well. We are outside at the bonfire. They are to light it at the eleventh hour, then they will have fireworks at midnight. I hate that I will have to see my first fireworks without you.”   
He snorted, texting back, “So do I.”  
The music had started full force, he hadn't even seen his father yet as he drifted about the guests. Adam was standing at the double doors, directing guests.   
“Hey, is my father here? I haven't seen him.”  
Adam regarded him coolly, “I believe he's in the billiard room entertaining some important visitors.”  
Chase wove around him and started down the hallway, excusing himself as he passed more people coming in but at once felt a hand about his arm. “I would not disturb him.”  
Chase shrugged Adam off, “It's goddamn New Year's eve. He's not going to attend his own party?”  
He kept heading down the wide hallway towards the billiard room at the other end. The music vibrated the very air. The billiards room door was cracked open. Chase leaned over and peered in. A serving girl was setting a tray of drinks on a game table. His father who was leaning against the billiard table with a drink in his hand nodded to her and she turned about heading out the door. On the way past Chase, she made to close it behind her but he caught the doorknob with his hand, holding a finger to his lips. She regarded him haughtily but kept walking. Facing his father, his back to the door was a tall distinguished looking gentleman in an expensive looking suit. He had a head of steel gray hair and a cultured voice that reminded him a bit of Loki.  
“David, I really do think you've spent an inordinate amount of time and money upon this woman. Would it not be better spent elsewhere?”  
David tipped his glass, “It would, Eric, and I have been most generous to the cause. Why shouldn't I be allowed this personal indulgence?”  
The man turned to the decanter which had been left with the serving tray and Chase could see his face. He was older than Chase had guessed though his eyes were piercing, his smile cunning like a cat ready to devour a fat, juicy canary.  
“I did not say that I wouldn't allow it. I can easily get the medication, I am simply warning you to spend your energy on something worthwhile. Something you may see results with. I mean a broad spectrum cure for mental illness? David, really?”  
David put his hand to the bridge of his nose, massaging it, “I would rather target certain symptoms, certain aspects. I'm only trying to find a starting point.”  
“There are few humans I would indulge like this, you are aware?” The man chuckled, sipping at his drink, the ice cubes therein tinkling mutely, “But the potential I see in Chase, and my appreciation for your dear Annie, sways me in your favor.”  
“Dear Annie....,” David swirled the ice cubes in his own glass and the man laughed outright.  
“Dear for her ability, I've not the pleasure of living with her, however so I cannot vouch for much else.”  
David started for the door and Chase jumped back, pressing himself to the wall but the door never opened.  
“How long will it take to get the medicine here?”  
“From Moscow? A week at best, but David, take my advice, put your efforts into the mutants in your care, they are most in need, especially that boy. He will go far, mark my words.”  
“Thank you, Eric. I'll do my best, now I believe it's time I join my guests. Shall we?”  
“Mingle with the non-mutants?” the man chuckled, “Why,'twould be a pleasure.”  
Chase backed away, catching the door as it swung towards him. He watched the man and his father walk down the hallway towards the atrium.  
Medicine? For who? The man had mentioned a woman. It must be one of his father's patients. He followed behind but they were quickly swallowed up by the crowd and he was once again left to wander on his own. As he reached the atrium again he spied one man he knew.  
“Mister Luntz?”  
The man turned around. Spotting Chase he smiled. “Chase, my god you're a man! It's been ages since I saw you last.”  
“Yeah I've been at school,” he was practically shouting above the loud music, “I graduate next year.”  
Vic nodded, “Then college? I'll keep an eye out for you when you get your degree. Maybe I can find you a position at the hospital in our IT department.”  
In Washington D.C.? He'd always hated that city. Still he was polite. “Thank you, sir. Um, have you seen my father? I lost him.”  
Vic waved his drink around, “He's networking. A lot of influential people here you know.”  
Chase nodded, “Yeah I know. If I don't catch up with him today, he'll catch up with me tomorrow. Excuse me.”  
Vic raised his glass as Chase slipped through the throng, coming upon the buffet table at the other end of the atrium. There he filled a plate, retreating to an empty lounge chair to eat and people watch. It was a short time later when he heard a voice on his left and looked up. In the process of sitting down upon a lounge chair beside him was the man to whom his father had been talking.  
“You've come a long way from your days as a young boy on his way out of the public school system.”  
Chase had to laugh recalling the look the principal of the grade school had given him as his father had picked him up from school, telling his father that the child's special needs would be better served at another....and this word he had placed emphasis on...institution.  
“I moved on to a better place, trust me,” he felt strangely willing to speak freely with this man who held out his hand. As he took his hand and shook it, Chase noticed the well manicured fingernails, the fingers devoid of any rings.  
“Eric,”  
Chase nodded, “Pleased to meet you, Mister.....”  
“Eric will suffice. Tell me, have you been practicing your talent? Making an effort to control it?”  
“Yeah, we have classes for that, in a safe environment. Some of the kids there have got some pretty incredible talents if you catch my meaning.”  
Eric laughed aloud, “Oh indeed I do. The mansion has changed much since my time there.”  
“You were a student?” Chase hadn't realized the school was that old.  
“No, no,” He could see the amusement play around Eric's deep blue eyes, “Let's say I was an advocate. I was past my childhood years when I visited Charles's school.”  
“Professor Xavier? You knew him?” He had passed on before Chase arrived.  
“I did. He was a great man. One of the greatest telepaths I ever had the honor of calling friend. Tell me, do they still preach peace, harmony and tolerance of your fellow humans within those hallowed halls?”  
Chase glanced at Eric, “Yeah, I mean we're all the same aren't we? We all bleed red blood.”  
“Are we now? I know a man who bleeds green. Another who bleeds blue. I believe we are superior in every aspect. Do you not look down on those who look down upon you?”  
Chase thought of the woman in Grand Central who had berated Brenna for helping her, insulted her, and he frowned, “Sometimes. Some people are assholes, not all, but some.”   
He considered some of the parents who came to see their children, proud of their abilities lik Brian's parents, the most accepting, fun loving, rowdy family he'd ever met. They had been eager to pull him into the fold. Then there were the others, the children who'd been dumped there, left alone without any family contact. Still others who had run away to the school after being mercilessly perscuted.  
Eric roared with laughter though it was swallowed up by the music and the din of the crowd, “Be rest assured, there are those out there that are not as complacent, as forgiving as yourself,” He stood, giving a short bow, “I expect great things from you, Chase, so long as you never forget what you are.”  
Chase watched the man move into the crowd, unaware of the pair of eyes that were his father's watching the conversation from across the room. David had seen Eric sit down next to Chase, resisted the urge to break up the meeting, relieved that the exchange had seemed brief. Eric's presence, outside of all other mutants, always put him on edge even though he needed his help, he knew Eric's only reason for parlaying with him was Annie and Chase. Otherwise he was just another human to him. David would ask Chase what Eric had said to him tomorrow. Now he had to be the gracious host.

 

Brenna stood shivering, watching Logan, and Miss Munroe surround the pile of wood with lit torches.   
“Here we go, don't worry girl, you gonna be warm soon.” Brian tilted his head towards her, his arm around Rachel's shoulders, “You'd be warm, you put some meat on those bones.”  
Brenna wrapped her arms tighter around herself, “I would be warm, were Chase here.”  
“Aw now,” Brian reached over to poke her, “You'd be more than warm.”  
Dylan, taking even steps so as not to spill the hot chocolate in his hands, arrived just in time to see them toss the torches onto the wood. He handed Sophie a cup. “Less than an hour to the new year. Anybody got any resolutions?”  
Brenna wrinkled her nose, “What do you mean?”  
Sophie watched the flames begin to lick the timber, the old pallets, branches, “Resolutions are promises to change something for the new year. Maybe it's something you don't like about yourself, or something you want to happen so you resolve to make it happen. Or maybe it's a habit you want to kick.”  
“Yeah,” Brian cried, “My grandpaw, he quit smoking cold turkey one year just before my Auntie Keshia got hitched to that bookie. He started up again 'bout six months later, it was either that or he was gonna kill the boy.”  
Sophie laughed, “Brian, it must be a circus at family reunions.”  
“More like them old Jerry Springer shows.”  
Rachel giggled, poking him in the side, “You're exaggerating, they're the nicest people you ever want to meet, especially his grandmother.”  
“Okay I'll give you granny, she the best.”  
Dylan sipped his hot chocolate, “My resolution is to not make any.”  
Sophie rolled her eyes, “I resolve not to buy more shoes until I get rid of the ones I don't wear anymore. Rachel?”  
Rachel put her hand to her chest, “Me? Oh I haven't thought of one yet. I hate making them because I always break them. How about you Brenna?”  
Brenna had been listening to them, watching the wood start to blaze, enjoying the heat but thinking back to the last bonfire she'd been to in Asgard. It had been Walpurgis. Already it seemed like another lifetime. She turned her attention to her friends, thinking until Brian waved a hand before her face, “Hello, earth to Bren? You with us?”  
Brenna gave a slow nod, “I think my resolution shall be to...” She had wanted to say “forge a better relationship with my father” but what if she were unable, what if when she saw him the next time, she choked? What if the old fear came rushing back? In the end, her resolution would encompass that which she was trying to accomplish. “I shall resolve to be braver.”  
“Braver?” Brian stared at her, “You already brave. What you need to be braver about?”  
“Just braver.” Brenna rubbed her arms, “I will not know about what until I face it.”  
They watched the fire reach higher and higher until it seemed to lick the stars and Brian said, “We got 'bout five minutes until twenty twenty-four.”  
Brenna took out her phone, groaning, “Can we move around the fire until I find a signal again. I must text Chase at midnight, I promised him.”  
They herded to the right, shuffling around students and staff until Brenna held up her hand, “I have a signal. Is this alright?” She looked around her at the huge bonfire before them, the mansion on the hill, glowing with warm light, the stars above in the black night sky, “So beautiful. I wish Chase were here.” As if on cue, her phone beeped and she looked down.  
“Are you looking at the stars like we said?”  
Brenna felt a shiver run down her spine as her fingers flew about the keyboard, “However did you know?”

Chase smiled, texting back, “Because we said we were going to do that at midnight and it's about two minutes till.”  
The crowd had started to get louder. He took a noisemaker from one of the roaming waiters. From somewhere in the melee, a bra came flying to land at his feet and he jumped back as the owner, a gorgeous redhead wearing a pair of slacks, a neckful of plastic beads and nothing else, scooped it up and waved at him, disappearing back into the crush of people.  
One minute, “I wish I were there to kiss you.”  
“I wish you were too.”  
Thirty seconds, twenty.  
“They're starting to count down.”  
“I love you.”  
“I love you too, Brenna.”  
Ten seconds, nine, eight, “Happy New Year, Brenna!”  
Three, two, one, “Happy New Year, Chase!”

She blew a kiss to the stars...

And he caught it.

“I miss you.” She sighed as she sent the message on.  
He nodded, “Hug the phone, I'll feel it.”  
“No you won't, silly.” She muttered to herself, but she did it anyway.  
“Done.”

Chase drifted out of the atrium as the crowd started to sing “Auld Lang Syne”. He didn't feel much like celebrating. He hadn't seen his father save for the occasional glimpse across the room and he was tired. He wanted only to get tomorrow over with so he could return to the school and Brenna.

By twelve-thirty, she'd had enough of the cold. “I am retiring for the night.”  
Brian and Rachel said they would stay at the bonfire a bit longer but Sophie and Rachel followed Brenna up the long hill to the mansion. Brenna lay in bed that night, her head at the opposite end of the bed as she lay on her stomach watching out her window at the bonfire as it slowly burned down to embers, drifting to sleep, counting the hours until Chase returned.

 

Chase sat up in bed, disoriented for a moment, sure he was at the school. He rubbed his eyes, dropping his head down to his bent knees then flopped back down on his pillow. The sun shining in the window made him lift his phone and stare at it with one eye open.   
“Eight-fifty,” He jumped up from the bed and ran into the bathroom to start a shower. His father always ate breakfast at around nine on a holiday and he didn't want to miss it. He was starving as it were, and he knew that after he talked to his father, he'd likely go to the hospital and work and Chase would be free to return to the school.  
He made it downstairs at around five after nine. His father was sitting at the large island in the kitchen. The cook, Gerald, nodded to Chase as he sat down opposite David who looked at him and smiled. “One good thing about the school, they've made you an early riser.”  
He decided not to debate it, not to tell him returning to Brenna was the sole reason he was up early today, “You get used to it.”  
Gerald put a plate before him. It was filled with french toast, eggs scrambled as he liked them, bacon and home fries. “Gerald, you sure know how to say hello.”  
Gerald laughed, “I find it's a lot nicer than a handshake.”  
Chase dug in, getting about halfway through the stack of food on his plate before his father tapped the table, “So your grades look good. Aside from that little stunt you pulled with that girl, things have been pretty quiet.”  
“Yes sir,” he said around a mouthful of eggs, swallowed.  
“So tell me, are you seeing said girl still?” A ghost of a smile played around his father's lips.  
“Yeah,” He blurted out before he had time to think, but there it was, “She's a really great girl, Dad, she's talented, smart, funny, beautiful. I think you'd like her.”  
His smile faded a bit, “Women are nothing but trouble.”  
“Funny, they say the same thing about us,” Chase picked up his glass of orange juice, studying it in the rays of sunlight streaming in through the tall french doors leading onto a vast deck.  
“And she led you astray, did she not? You wouldn't have gotten into trouble had you stayed put at the school.”  
“She did it for a good cause, Dad, come on. The only reason we got into trouble is because she wasn't supposed to leave the school unsupervised,” He paused/ There was no way in hell he was going to tell his dad who her father was, “Her father is very important and they keep a tight rein on her whereabouts.”  
“Oh, who is he? Maybe I know him.”  
Chase nearly choked on his orange juice, sputtering, “I know you don't. Trust me, I know. He's not from around here.”  
“Try me, what's her last name?”  
Chase shrugged, he wouldn't find it anywhere even if he searched for it, “It's well.....Lokidottir.”  
David sat back in his chair and for a minute, Chase was certain he should have kept his mouth shut.  
“Okay, you got me. What nationality is that?”  
Norse, Finland, oh damn.... “Scandinavian?”  
David nodded, “Alright. Now you can tell me why she's at the school.”  
Did he mean how she got there?  
“What is her special....skill.”  
At once, Chase came alive, “Dad she's a healer. She can heal objects, I've seen her take things like old TVs and touch them, and they work like new. Broken objects like chairs, everything. And this is the best part, she can heal people. Cuts, bruises, internal trauma. I met her because I saw her heal a woman's twisted ankle in the middle of Grand Central in a matter of minutes. She's amazing, she can unheal things too but that's been a little slower in coming, she's just learning....”  
David had heard nothing else beyond the first sentence. A healer....a woman who could heal...people...  
“Dad?”  
David turned to stare at Chase, “I'd like to meet her. We should have her at the mansion one day soon.”  
Chase was surprised and not a little wary of his father's sudden complete acceptance of Brenna. He shook his head, “She wouldn't be allowed to come this far away. They have a fit when we go to the store in town. You could come out to meet her.”  
David drained his coffee cup, set his glass down and stood up from his chair. “Perhaps. I have to get going. I'll be late at the hospital.”  
“Can't you take a break for one day?” Chase leaned back in the chair, half serious.  
“No can do. I have work to do. Harold will take you back to the school when you're ready to go. You need money?”  
“Don't I always?”   
David reached in and pulled his wallet from his pants, “How much?”  
“A thousand?”  
David shot him a look.  
“Hey it was worth a try. I don't know, a hundred?”  
David handed him two fiftys, “I'll talk to you again soon.”  
Chase watched his father walk out of the kitchen, a distracted look upon his face. He was sure that in recent memory, this had to be the shortest visit Chase had ever had with him. He waved as his father disappeared from view, “Okay Dad, love you too, bye?” and folded the money to stuff it in his wallet.

 

“A healer,” David muttered as he put the Lincoln in drive, eager to reach the hospital, “A healer.”


	51. 51

The day had dawned gray, heavy with the threat of snow, the drear air seeming a mirror of their mood as they sat quiet side by side on the wagon seat riding out to see the manor house.  
From the start, everything that could go wrong had done so. A short time after Eidra had fallen asleep the evening previous, Cait had awoke, crying piteously, rubbing her gums against her knuckles. Eidra had taken her up and brought her out to the common room, rekindling the coals into a low fire and settling into the rocking chair to nurse but Cait had rejected the nipple. Eidra had then fetched the wooden rattle, set soft blankets down before the hearth and lay with Cait cradled in the crook of her elbow, soothing her with coos and songs, letting her teethe until at last she fell asleep again.  
No sooner had Eidra drifted off to sleep beside her when Loki had knelt down, telling her it was time to rise. She had risen to a dull ache in her back from lying on the cold floor, carried a sleeping Cait gingerly into Sally's room, placing her in Sally's waiting arms. By the time she had returned to the common room, Fen had awakened and was pleading with Loki that he be allowed to go with them on the trip. Whether Cait had kept him awake half the night, or because Fen, when he was determined, could whine and cry as if he were being sent to his execution, she did not know but Loki had become short with him. His resulting wail had awakened Helgi who emerged from her bedchamber to lead him back to his bed as Loki stormed outside.  
She had packed a satchel with bread, cheese and dried venison jerky for the day, grabbed a heavy robe for her shoulders and headed outside in the early light to join him where the day continued on the same path. He had been hitching Lightning to the wagon. She had protested taking the horses would be quicker without the wagon which had been put on runners for the winter making it cumbersome to pull. He had argued her condition would make riding dangerous and they had gone round for a good while but in the end she had grudgingly agreed to the use of the wagon if only to get them out of the dooryard before half the day had been wasted.  
He set her in the seat, tucking the robe in around her legs and they were finally on their way, headed out of town in stony silence. As the day wore on, however, they fell to chatting amiably and she draped the robe over his legs as well, bracing herself against him for warmth.   
When they passed the halfway point to Asgard, leaving it far behind, she wondered how close the manor must be to the city, only realizing the truth of the matter when they crested one hill and through a clearing in the trees to her right, she could see the mist shrouded spires of the palace upon the horizon.   
“Loki, how much further is it?”  
He pointed with a gloved hand, “Not far now.”  
And was as good as his word as they rounded a small bend and he turned Lightning into the rutted track among the trees on their right. As they passed beneath the canopy of dormant vines and tree branches, she felt a couple drops upon her face but was unsure if it was snowmelt or rain. “Does this manse have a barn to shelter Lightning ere it rains?  
“You felt it too?” Loki nodded, “It does indeed have a barn, a rather large one. I will see to him when we arrive. He will be out of the elements.”  
The trees began to part then, to rise high until they revealed the mansion and Eidra's mouth dropped open, “Loki, this is a veritable palace.”  
She looked to the right and then the left, scanning the huge house with wonder and not a small measure of trepidation. The barn behind the left wing could have fit their cottage inside it with room to spare. Another drop of water landed upon her hand. “It is raining.”  
Loki pulled the wagon to a halt and dropped to the ground, coming around and offering his hand to steady Eidra as she stepped onto the soft snow, wobbling a bit as her boots sank nearly to the wet ground underneath.   
“Grab the satchel,” she called to him as he started to unhitch Lightning from the wagon. He reached underneath the bench seat, pulling the satchel out and swinging it over the yoke to her.   
“Get inside, the door is open. I shall find us some dry wood for a fire,” She started up the shoveled path until Loki called out.  
“Wait.” He trotted up to her and she watched as he withdrew the dagger from his thigh scabbard, “You remember how to hold it?”  
“Well of course but...why?”  
He waved a hand impatiently in the air, “Show me.”  
She turned the dagger, resting it across her outer forearm and he smiled, “And you lead with it ere you encounter anyone. It is always better to be prepared with an abandoned building.”  
He returned to Lightning who was shaking his massive head with the rain which had started in earnest as she approached the door, dagger at the ready, pushing it open with her free hand. The interior was shadowy, drenched in gloom and she cursed herself for forgetting to tell him to bring the lantern from the wagon bed. If possible, it seemed colder inside the house than outside, as if winter itself had decided to take up residence. She stared about the foyer, her eyes traveling up the massive carved staircase before her to the balcony which was bathed in gray light, to her left, she saw a large room lined with shelves which she could only surmise was meant to be a library though her few tomes at the cottage would barely fill one half a shelf.  
To her right was another great room she imagined to be a sitting room, the massive fireplace dominating the far wall calling to mind another fireplace in a time which seemed a thousand years distant now. She inched into the room on her right, the dagger still against her forearm, aware in the extreme, ready for any sudden movement as she scanned the corners, only setting the satchel down beside the hearth when she had turned to face the room, the fireplace behind her back. She knelt down then, leaning into the hearth and looking upwards. Through the chimney hole, she could see the gray sky far overhead.   
“At the very least, the chimney seems clear.” she murmured as she stood up straight, nearly hitting her head on the mantle when she heard the door creak open behind her and she gave a little squeak of surprise. Loki had a small armload of wood, the lantern hung on his belt at his side, knocking upon the door as he shut it with his back.  
He dropped the wood beside the flagstones of the hearth and she winced as the clatter echoed in the empty rooms.  
“I remembered the lantern,” she smiled as he and handed the lantern to her, taking the flint out of his pouch and opening the lantern window. Soon the room was bathed in warm light and she could see the walls had been given a coat of paint the color of soft rose. Loki, building a pile of wood in the fireplace, leaned forward to look up the chimney.  
“I have already done so. It is clear.”  
Loki glanced over his shoulder at her, “Ah, many thanks.”  
After a short time, he had a small fire going and motioned her to follow him as he took the lantern in his hand. They stopped at the front door to look outside, “The rain looks to be freezing, we may have to stay here the night.”  
“Loki, I do not wish to be away from Cait for so long. She dislikes the cow's milk and she is teething. Poor Helgi will be beside herself with her.”  
“Nevertheless,” He gestured out the door, “I will not risk your life by traveling in such weather as this. The children are well cared for, now let me show you about the house.”  
They spent the better part of the afternoon exploring. The sheer number of rooms overwhelmed her. She had laughed at the master bedchamber, thinking of how very small their bed would look until he told her his bed from Asgard would have a place here. The kitchen had been a particular delight, the pantry, the great fireplace, the bread oven at the side. She opened it, thinking that it needed a good cleaning out before it could be used, then stopped herself. She was already acting as if the house was their own and somehow Loki had sensed it for she caught him smiling at her as she backed away from the hearth.   
As the rain continued to ping and crack bleakly about the structure, she was relieved to see there were no visible leaks in the roof. When they returned to the sitting room, the fire had warmed the air considerably and Eidra suggested they eat their evening meal as the light in the windows began to wane. Loki took their pewter cups to the front door, gathering snow to melt in them as she sliced the wedge of cheese upon its cloth and they sat before the fire side by side.  
“This reminds me...” Loki gazed at her face lit by the firelight, “Of our first kiss.”  
His lips, cooled by the melted snow, pressed to the crook of her neck, “Do you remember?”  
“How could I forget?” She put her hand up to his cheek, felt his own hand steal around her stomach.  
“I wish we had brought the dice,” he murmured, “Would it not be delicious to recall such....” The rattle of the dice on the hearth stone made him set back, staring at her outstretched hand, the smile upon her face.  
“I brought them should we need amusement along the way.”  
“Ever the little minx.” He took the dice up in his hand, taking hers and curling it atop them as he kissed her.  
“Are you convinced of the wisdom of such a move yet?”  
She eased from his embrace and stood up, immediately anxious, “How would we maintain such a large estate? What about the servants? How would we retain them?”  
Loki had gained his feet again as well and they faced each other across the mantle, “I told you. As prince regent, I am entitled to a stipend from the crown for my livelihood.”  
“And what of the farm? The animals?”  
Loki walked to a window beside the fireplace though it was dark outside, “The manor grounds contain a great deal of farmland which helped to support the household. We would bring our animals here. ”  
Eidra pulled her cloak from the floor and wrapped it around her, gliding into the foyer, “Then why is the manor abandoned, what was it led them to deed the estate to the king?”  
Loki joined her with the lantern their forms casting eerie dancing shadows about the walls, “The lady of the manor was barren, they had no one to which they could leave it.”  
She looked up the stairs at the gloom beyond the balcony on the second floor,“Would you still be a farmer?”  
“Of course, between my duties to the crown.”  
“You see,” Eidra cried, her voice ringing loud in the manor, “It would not be the same as before. You would shirk farming for the palace life. You would turn again.....”  
Loki held the lantern high to see her face more clearly, “I would turn again to what, pray tell?”  
Eidra shook her head, holding her hand to her mouth as if to trap the words upon her tongue, at once looking down at her boots.   
“Eidra, as it is evident you have something you needs must say, I implore you to have out with it.”   
She felt his hand on her arm, “I fear losing you to palace life.”  
“This you have said to me yetI have assured you that you would be by my side, have I not?”  
She put her hand atop his, “But I fear losing you..”  
“Eidra?” She heard the clank of the lantern as he set it on the floor and took her hands in his, “You shall not lose me, there is nothing to lose me to, nothing that can replace you in my heart. You do not see..”  
She squeezed his fingers, fear growing in the pit of her stomach, cursing Thor for bringing him here, for promising him the house, making him want to return to Asgard.  
“What is it that you would gain by returning to palace life? Your brother's undying affection? His respect, the Aesir's? Would they accept you again?”  
Loki hesitated, “I would work to forge a new image, make a difference in the governing of Asgard, Eidra?...”  
“Asgard is a dangerous place, do you not see?”  
She fought to pull her hands from his grasp but he held firm, “Eidra, the danger in Asgard is long past. We will be accepted together...what danger could there possibly be...”  
Her answer was a whisper, so low he could barely hear it, “What of the Tesseract?”  
“What?” His voice wavering, strength threatening to drain from his legs, “What say you?”  
“The Tesseract!” She cried.  
His mind reeled. She had never seen the cube, he had never talked of it. Only the royal family was allowed access to the Reliquary, so great, so powerful were its treasures.  
“How do you know of it?” He rasped, a cold sweat sheeting his skin.  
Her hands slipped from his as she covered her face, her words muffled, “Helgi.”  
“What did Helgi tell you?” Loki stared at her, confused,  
She shook her head hard as if to deny the answer.  
“Everything,” she dropped her hands to her side, “Everything, the attack on New York, the Chitauri, your imprisonment. All she heard from her days at the palace when you were returned in chains...”  
Loki stumbled backwards, reaching for the railing, nearly missing it, sitting down hard upon the stairs, fear coursing through his body, making him tremble as if a chill had suddenly been visited upon him.  
“I begged you to tell me. Gods, I wanted you to let me in.”  
Eidra was kneeling before him on the steps, her hands on his knees. He had thrown his arms about his stomach, feeling as if he must hold himself together.  
“Helgi told me as a warning. She feared for my life, still harbored a great distrust for you and so when you traveled back to Tir Na Nog, she told me what you had done, why you had not been able to come for me, how you had been condemned to the cells below Asgard for your crimes.”  
“I thought you beyond saving. I lost all sense of reason. Why did you stay? When you learned what I had become, why did you stay?”  
She put her head down upon his knees, “So many times during the days you were gone I considered taking Brenna and fleeing. I was afraid but then you returned with Chris and Sally and I could not deny my love for you. It did not matter what you had done, I would have stayed by your side regardless, would have followed you to the ends of the nine realms.”  
He rested his hand atop her head, “I have long feared you would learn of this and I would lose you again. I was driven mad when you were taken from me, the pain so great I was unmade, venting my rage willingly upon Midgard at the hands of the Chitauri, made to be their puppet.” He bent over her, gathering her up to him, “Who else knows of this?”  
“No one, save Helgi and I.”  
“The children then, they do not know?”  
Eidra backed from his embrace, “Do you think I would tell them such horrible things? No, the secret will stay with me forever.”  
“Brenna resides on Midgard, do you not think somehow she will find out?”  
Eidra reached up to brush a tear from his cheek, “She loves you, she is your firstborn. She would have told you of it had she known, she would have asked you, would she not?”  
Loki nodded, “I pray you speak the truth.”  
“And now you know what I most fear. I would keep you far from that reliquary, far from the evil embodied therein.”  
He put his forehead to hers, “There is no longer any danger from the Tesseract, you must believe me.”  
“Believe you I do, but the fear still remains, as I am your life, so are you mine. I would not forfeit it.”  
She stood up from the stairs then, offering him her hand and after a moment, he took it, following her silently back into the sitting room where she took the robe, laying it on the floor beside the hearth, taking a blanket from the satchel. She drew him down beside her, curling into his embrace, settling him with reassurances, promising her undying love as he rose above her. Later as she lay there awake listening to his even breathing, her arm covering his over her stomach, staring into the dying fire, she made her decision. If he wished to move here into this house, she would follow him, just as she had promised. She would follow him and trust him and love him, raise his children, keep his house, stand by his side. Wherever he would be, she would be also.

The scritch scratching sound of little feet woke her up before the sunlight had a chance to do so. She opened her eyes, peering about until she spied the source. Upon the flagstones of the hearth, a mouse sat upon its haunches, a crust of bread from their previous evening's meal between its paws. She watched it deftly turn the crumb, nibbling it at the edges, pause, look at her and continue. “Ere I move into this manse, I shall bring with me a cat, so enjoy your last meal to the fullest.” She thought to herself.  
Loki stirred, pulling her closer to him with a groan.  
“We have mice,” she whispered, the mouse pausing again at the sound of her voice.  
“Mmhmm.”  
She disentangled herself from his arm and pushed herself up from the robe with a grimace as the mouse scurried away, the crumb in its mouth.  
“I have lain too long upon this unforgiving floor.”  
Loki rose from the robe and stretched.  
“Agreed.”  
He walked to one of the windows at the far end of the room where he stood silhouetted in the sunlight and she was left to wonder if the events of the previous evening had been but a dream. She struggled to her knees, finding his hands on her arm, lifting her to her feet.  
“I will make my way to the barn so that we may start for home.” Upon opening the front door, however, he returned to the pile of wood by the fireplace, selected a long log and headed back to the door. Eidra followed him to the doorway. The world had been glazed in ice. The tree branches hung low, the snow glistened like glass. Loki started breaking through the crust with the end of the log, clearing the path to the barn.  
“Look at the wagon!” She called to him as he came close to it. He stopped, reaching into the wagon and yanking the reins free, shaking ice off the yoke as he shook his head, “Now are you glad we stayed the night?”  
“In more ways than one.”   
His smile warmed her heart as she closed the door to the chill morning air and returned to the fireplace to gather their things together, leaving one more small crust for the mouse on the hearth. It was not long before Loki was back inside to fetch her. After making sure the coals from the fire were well dead, he grabbed the satchel and they headed outside.  
“I tried to clear the wagon seat but it is still wet.”  
She stepped out into the bright sunshine, trying to shield her eyes from the glare of the sunlight. He steadied her as they made their way to the wagon and helped her up the step. She tucked her skirt well beneath her legs but the melted ice still seeped through to sting her skin.   
Lightning's sharp hooves broke through the icy crust easily. Though he struggled to get the wagon turned with the runners and the hard snow, they were soon on the road, headed for home.  
Eidra watched Loki's face. His demeanor seemed calmer, lighter than she could recall in recent memory. The weight of his terrible secret, the burden he had been made to bear alone had been lifted, he had come through to find his life still intact. She had captured his heart long ago and now she had freed his soul, she felt complete. She lay her head on his shoulder, “It is a grand house.”  
Loki gazed down at her, “And it well deserves a grand lady at its heart.”  
They rode a bit further, “And your brother would welcome me at court?” She was concerned not that she would have a place in Asgard but that Thor had only made promises to lure him back into the fold.  
“He has sworn this to me. He says you will be titled. You are already the mother of princes and princesses,” He put his hand to her stomach and she held it there.  
“Do you truly wish for this? The mansion, the return to Asgard?”  
He was weighing his response she saw it in his eyes, “Only if I may have my family at my side.”  
She squeezed his hand, “Then so be it.”

 

The courier, a young blond haired boy who looked to be barely thirteen seasons, bowed low to the tiled floor as he held up the sealed letter in his gloved hand. Thor took it from him, the boy waiting on bended knee. Thor's roar of laughter so startled the boy that he toppled over to land in a heap, wide eyed.   
“Up boy! Away with you to the kitchens. Tell the cook to feed you well. I shall have a response for you to deliver in short time.”  
As the boy scurried out of the throne room, Thor stared at the red wax seal at the edge of the letter, two snakes intertwined in an oval. He snapped the seal in half, unfolded the letter and began to read. 

Sif handed Lóriði the small leather ball, laughing as he tried in vain to throw it to her. She rolled it back to where he sat on a blue satin blanket. When the door to the nursery swung open, she nearly leaped to her feet until she saw Thor striding towards her with a letter in his hand and a grim smile upon his face. She rose slowly and bowed, “Milord.”  
Thor looked down at Lóriði then again at Sif, “I am removing Magnus as principle adviser to the crown. I am restoring him as Captain of the Guards. There is an upcoming campaign and he will be assigned as its head.”  
Sif clasped her hands together though Thor noted they were trembling, “Milord, has Magnus disappointed you in any way?”  
Another downward glance at Lóriði and Thor snorted, “He is better suited to the royal guard.”  
Sif bent down and picked Lóriði up in her arms, “As you wish but who will now advise you?”  
“I have already assigned another adviser to the post.” He stroked Lóriði's cheek. “One who knows the kingdom well. A man who will stand by me, a man whom I may trust.”  
Sif, her eyes narrowed, frowned, “Might I beg the name of this new adviser which so garners the favor of the king?”  
Thor had turned with a swirl of his cloak, to head from the nursery but he stopped, relishing the moment to look over his shoulder at Sif.  
“It is to be my brother, Loki.”  
He did not wait for her reaction, though her shocked expression lightened his steps as he slammed the nursery door behind him. He was well down the corridor when her roar of anger echoed through the palace and he smiled, tapping the letter in the palm of his hand as he headed for his bedchamber.


	52. 52

When David arrived at the hospital, pulling into his private parking spot, his rationale had returned. He'd considered calling Chase and apologizing for his abrupt departure but such thoughts were driven from his mind by the main desk receptionist who hailed him as he walked into the foyer.  
“Director? Doctor Egan is waiting for you in his office. He needs to speak to you about one of your patients.”  
David rubbed his temples, trying to dispel the headache that had been forming all morning, likely a residual effect from the party. He nodded, heading down the corridor to his right and was soon knocking on the door to Robert's office. When he walked in, the receptionist, a smartly dressed middle-aged woman, looked up from her computer, fingers paused above the keyboard.  
“Helen,” David smiled.  
“Doctor Wells. Go right in, he's been waiting for you.”  
Robert Egan was poised over a file spread open on his desk, forehead in hand. When David closed the door behind him, only Robert's dark brown eyes slid up to look at him.  
“David, there's a problem with Fred Skinner.”  
David sat down in the chair before Robert's desk and crossed his legs, “Outside the usual?”  
Robert gave him a sardonic smile, “What do you call solitary confinement after stabbing Sue Yardley in the face with a broken plastic spoon while singing “Auld Lang Syne” at the top of his lungs?”  
David leaned forward in the chair, “Jesus, I'd consider that serious enough to call me last night..”  
“I would have if I'd been available myself. You're not the only one who had plans. Didn't you have your pager on?”  
“If it went off, I couldn't hear it,” David waved at him, “So what do you think we should do?”  
“Well,” Robert sat back in his chair, “We're going to have to change his meds again.”  
David took the file from in front of Robert, “He's been on every damn anti-psychotic out there. What's the next step, keeping him permanently sedated?”  
Robert tapped his chin, “Why don't we go pay Mister Skinner a visit, then we'll discuss treatment.”

 

Leon was sitting at the desk in the little reception booth reading the morning paper. When he heard the elevator doors open, he stood up. David and Robert waited for the familiar buzz at the door in the small waiting room.  
“Director.....Doctor,” Leon nodded to them as they headed past him down the hallway.  
Leroy was already waiting at the door at the other end, swinging it open for them.  
“We're here to see Mister Skinner in solitary” David said as the door shut behind them. Leroy lifted his I.D. Card from his wallet and they followed him down the corridor. David glanced at Jesse's door as they passed. No doubt she was on the other side waiting for the door to open.  
At the end of this hallway, however, there was a different door, heavier, made of stainless steel. Leroy waved his I.D card before the keypad in the wall to his left and David pushed the door open to reveal a carpeted hallway. Recessed floodlights illuminated its length, the reflection off the brushed stainless steel walls brightening the atmosphere where the décor couldn't.  
When David had renovated the hospital, this had been the service area where the janitors kept their supplies, the laundry room and the hospital kitchen had been located here as well. He had built those services an entirely new wing, keeping this one just for the purpose for which it was now being used. Behind the stainless steel were concrete blocks that had been painted hospital scrub green. He had enlarged some rooms, cut up others. Some had been paneled with steel, others with white padding, a few with carpeted walls, benches bolted into the floors. Beside each door was a small screen and a keypad.  
Halfway down the hall, they stopped before a door on their right and Robert tapped out a number on the keypad. The screen blinked to life.  
Fred Skinner, in David's opinion, had been missing an I all his life. He was skinnier than any man David had ever met. His skin stretched across a skeleton frame, muscles standing out in sideshow relief even though he had a voracious appetite. He had gotten in trouble more than once for stealing other patients food from their trays, the snack fridge, their rooms. At the moment though, it could be argued that exercise was the culprit. Fred was traversing the room at a manic pace. He was shoeless, his blue hospital issue pants hanging off his waist, his shirt flung into a corner and he was arguing with himself in a loud deep voice. Every minute or two, he would reach up and yank his thinning brown hair, once hard enough to throw himself into the wall for which he gave himself another tongue lashing. His hair thus stood up in a maniacal Bozo imitation. As they watched, he started to run, jumping up onto the bench and leaping off it, looking back as if someone was following behind him.  
“Yeah, Fred's been a bit busy.” David watched a moment longer, looked down at the folder in his hand. “Okay, we might as well start him on his original meds again.”  
“I don't think it's going to work. I've considered a frontal lobotomy. He's been out of hand for a long time now,” Robert tapped the keypad and the screen went dark.  
As the elevator rose, Robert made some notations in Fred's folder.  
“What if we could find a cure for him?” David mused, if only to gauge Robert's reaction.  
Robert was a tall thin man with short blond hair and light green eyes. He wore a severe countenance at the happiest of times. When he looked over the gold rims of his glasses at David, it felt as if he was passing judgment.  
“There is no cure David. Not for what is wrong with Fred, not for what's wrong with your special project. The problem is in the genes, or the chemical makeup of the brain or the environment, upbringing, trauma any one of a number of problems. There is no broad spectrum cure.”  
The elevator door slid open, “But what if there was?”  
Robert stopped outside of the elevator, “But there isn't. Why bother with the what ifs? I'll get the new script down to pharmacy, see if we can't get him calmed down enough to let him out of solitary by tonight then I'll give his,” Robert looked to the ceiling of the lift, snapped his fingers, “Ah...his aunt Sharon a call and discuss the possibility of a lobotomy. She's all the family he has left.”  
David could tell Robert was in no mood to entertain, even briefly, the possibility of other options so he hit the number four on the pad in the elevator, cursed himself as he recalled he'd left his briefcase in the car. By the time he walked past Julia on the way to his office, he was again thinking about what Chase had told him. The girl he was dating was a healer. Did she heal just cuts and bruises, could she change the structure of a DNA strand? Deconstruct a faulty gene? Create a healthy one? As he sat down at his desk and began to sift through the pile of papers before him which signified the day's work, however, the affairs of a large psychiatric hospital took front row to his son's current girlfriend.

Mid-terms were finally here. Brenna had heard of them but now that they had arrived, she was frantically studying. Even Sophie tried to talk her down when she told Sophie she hadn't slept the night before her science test.  
“You fall asleep during the test, that's just as bad as not studying for it, okay?”  
They were sitting in the dining hall eating breakfast but Brenna just lay on the table with her head on her arms, “But if I do not study how will I pass the test?”  
Brian leaned over beside her and whispered in her ear, “With yo' pen up your nose if you nod off. Want a cup of coffee?”  
Brenna put her head up and stuck out her tongue, “You know I cannot stomach that dark drink.”  
“Well you better have yourself some breakfast then or you gonna be tanking by ten.”  
Chase unscrewed her orange juice and nudged her, “Come on, I got the magic bottle here.”  
She put both hands out, pulled the bottle to her and hugged it, “Sweet juice of the orange.”  
Sophie laughed, “Juice of the orange, you are too funny.”  
Brenna sat up, draining half the bottle, “So good....I must pass my science test. If I do not keep up my science grades, how can I ever hope to become a nurse?”  
“You have a lot more school to get through to be a nurse.” Sophie poured maple syrup on her pancakes as she pointed at Brenna with her fork. “You'll have college too so if you're having a meltdown now, wait until then.”  
“Is it harder than this? College?”  
Brian, Chase and Sophie all nodded in unison.  
“Try this times ten.” Brian added.  
Brenna groaned, slid down further in her chair, “Next subject.”  
“The Rock 'N Bowl trip this weekend?” Brian threw his arms out, “Who's signed up?”  
Everyone's hand went up but Brenna's. Chase put his arm around her back, “You said you were going to sign up. It's a chaperoned trip, you're allowed to go.”  
“I have no idea how to play this sport you call bowling. I told you I would think on it,” Her head flopped back down to the table.  
“Will you go for me, please?” Chase squeezed her arm, “Please?”  
Brenna sighed, “If I pass this test, I will go. Otherwise failure will tell me I must study more. Do we have an accord?”

The music was thunder loud, the seats hard plastic and cold, the lights flashing like lightning. Sophie flopped down, laughing beside her. “Well at least you passed the test.”  
Brenna gave her a half smile, “Agreed.”  
She scanned the lanes, watching the other students laughing and screaming. “But I will make a mess of this.”  
“No you won't, Chase is going to help you.”  
Chase approached the lane, swung his ball and released it, hitting the remaining two pins at the end of the lane, knocking them down, then he turned and crooked his finger at her.  
“Gods, this will surely be a disaster.” she muttered as she trudged up to the lane to stand beside him.  
He handed her a ball which she fumbled about, nearly dropping until she found a better grip. Chase showed her how to hold it with her fingers and faced her toward the pins.  
Logan had stepped down into the sitting area and was now leaning over the back of the chairs.  
“So she's never bowled before huh?”  
Sophie shook her head, “No she hasn't.”  
“Warned her about lobbing the ball did ya?”  
The ball landed on the lane with a resounding thud as it wobbled into the gutter.  
“Nope guess not,” he chuckled, “You guys got your work cut out for ya.”  
“You see,” Brenna wailed, “I do not know how to let the ball go.”  
Chase held up a finger, “Now wait, this is the second ball you've thrown. How long did it take you to learn how to ride a horse properly?”  
“Half a moon.”  
“Half a...a...okay two weeks right? Well that's a heck of a lot harder than throwing a ball down a lane to hit some pins and you did it. So let's get back up on that proverbial horse and give it another shot.”  
She picked up the ball from the return and stood like Chase had shown her.  
“Now let go earlier, about when the swing reaches your knee, here.” He put his hand on her kneecap.  
“I will try.”  
She walked to the line, swung the ball back, almost toppling herself forward when Chase yelled, “Wait!”  
“What in Odin's name?” She cried, whirling about.  
“Aim, honey. Don't forget to aim at that red arrow in the middle of the lane,” Chase backed away to sit in one of the plastic seats, “Go ahead.”  
Brenna stepped back up to the lane, stared at the red arrow and with a grunt, she released the ball which stayed on the lane though it curved sharply, taking out the last pin on the left corner.  
“One pin! That's more than you got the last throw.”  
Brenna stayed up on the lane until the pins were knocked down to reset and she cried, “Why did they do that?”  
Chase took her hand and led her back down to the seats, “Remember, two chances each turn unless you get a spare on the tenth then you get another ball.”  
Brenna sat down beside Sophie, “This is so confusing.”  
“Aren't you having any fun at all though?” Sophie asked her and she shrugged.  
“The game amuses me but I am a failure at it.”  
Brenna kept watching the others, studying them. Finally, on the last frame of the first game, she was able to keep the ball rolling down the middle of the lane and she began to relax a bit.  
Chase sat down beside her as Sophie reset the computer for the next set, “Hon, you know it's only a game. The idea is to have fun, don't take it so seriously.”  
Brenna frowned, watching Sophie pick up her bowling ball, “But I feel like a failure. If I do not learn the right way, how can I help the team. How can I compete?”  
Brian had finished his turn and now flopped down on the chairs across from them, “You ain't competing. This is a fun, silly night out. You join a league then it get tense.”  
Her frown deepened, “But I must learn properly! I wish to get it right....,” all at once her mouth hung open as she dropped her head in her hands, “Odin's beard! I am becoming my father! He sees everything as a challenge. Hunting, blacksmithing, milking the cows....”  
Chase bit his lip but couldn't keep the humor from his voice, “Those poor cows.”  
Brian kicked at her feet, “I can see him chasing them po' things, “Come here, I must milk you!” they running round the barnyard, “Oh shit, here he come with dem cold hands again!”  
Brenna burst into a fit of giggles, “Brian, honestly.”  
Chase draped his arm around Brenna's shoulders, “Ya know, taking after him can't be all bad, he raised a pretty fine daughter.”  
“Chase you flatter me,”  
Brian rolled his eyes good-naturedly, “Ah gawd, I'm gonna get a cavity just listenin' to all this sweet talkin'”  
They heard a whoop on the lane beside them and turned to watch Ethan, one of the younger boys, approach the foul line and stand there. He turned, winked to his teammates, started swinging his bowling ball back and forth and let the ball go. As he extended his hand outward the ball flew over the lane but never touched the polished wood beneath it, floating towards the pins while his team clapped and cheered.  
“Ethan!” Logan shouted as the ball dropped with a hard thump wobbling slowly into the pins.  
“What did Miss Munroe say about the rules?” Logan was now on the alley, standing over Ethan. Out of the corner of her eye, Brenna saw Grace come sailing over to grab Logan's arm to growl, “The same thing she said about not making a scene!”  
Ethan ducked around them and took his seat, stammering, “I..I'm..sorry. I forgot...I was just having fun.”  
Grace motioned for Ethan to follow her as the three of them trudged up the steps behind the lane and walked over to a large sitting area where they started talking.  
“Oh he gonna catch hell for that.” Brian cried, “I would not wanna be him right now.”  
They watched for a minute more until Chase poked Brenna, “Hey, you're up.”  
Brenna jumped up to the alley and grabbed her ball.  
“Okay, babe, to the same thing you've been doing. Aim for the arrows, slide your foot, follow through.”  
The music was loud, thumping. If they had been a bit further away, he wouldn't have heard them, but as he leaned back in the seat to watch Brenna bowl, laughter along with the words, “Fucking freaks.” met his ears. He turned in his seat to look up at the counters behind the lanes. Two young men stood there watching Ethan, Logan and Grace. One of the men was short, with shocking blond hair done in a buzz. He wore a white t-shirt with two black skulls on it forehead to forehead and large dayglo green gauges in his earlobes. The other man, his long dark hair done up in a pony tail, was dressed plainer in a simple white v-neck. He smiled, leaving Chase to surmise that Blondie had done the talking. Blondie gestured then to the left and Chase noted the beer bottle in his hand. His friend nodded as they both moved off towards the bar that made up the far end of the bowling alley. Chase stood up.

Brenna watched the ball roll down the lane, holding her breath as it rolled over the red arrow in the floor. Waiting, watching until it hit the first pin, mowing the rest of the them down. Sophie jumped up and ran to the lane, “A strike, your first strike!”  
Brenna stood there, hand on her mouth as Sophie shook her, laughing.  
“I did it!” She whirled around to see Chase's reaction, instead seeing him run up the steps between the counters to the upper level of the alley and head to the left.  
“Chase!” She called to him but the music drowned her out. She ran past Sophie. “I will be back.”

Chase watched the two men walk through the open doorway of the bar and he hesitated, until Blondie's words resounded in his head, “Fucking freaks,” and he walked into the bar.

 

Brenna watched Chase disappear into the place she'd called a tavern when they'd first arrived at the bowling alley. Back at the lane, Sophie stood waving at her to return. She held up her hand and started after Chase.

The two men were standing at the bar behind a burly looking bearded man hunched over a bottle of beer. He was wearing jeans and a blue checked shirt which was exposing at least five inches of white backside, crack included. Blondie leaned over to him and said something in his ear to which the man turned and peered out the windows into the bowling alley.  
“No shit,” The man said in a deep voice that Chase could hear from the doorway where he stood, “Which ones?”  
Chase drew a deep breath and walked over to the three men who were now pressed to the glass, staring and pointing.  
“Excuse me.”  
Blondie turned to look at him and Chase had to suppress the sudden urge to shove his gauges up his nostrils, sideways.  
“I heard your little freak comment a minute ago.”  
The guy smiled at him, nudged his friend, “Check this out, Pat.”  
His friend who'd been standing with him, poked their friend, the barfly, who took his attention from the alley to watch what was happening beside him, “Yeah, I said they were fucking freaks, you got a problem with that?”  
Chase drew himself up, moving in closer, “I think the one who's gonna have a problem with it is you.”  
His hand had started to come up though not quick enough. When Brenna yelled to him and he turned to the sound of her voice, Blondie's fist was quicker, catching Chase in the side of the jaw. He stumbled to the side, banging against the windows, trying to recover his balance. As Blondie caught Chase's shirt in his hand to pull him in for another blow, pure rage blossomed inside Brenna, blocking all other coherent thought as she pushed forward to reach the group surrounding Chase.  
Blondie had reared back for another hit, fist poised. The man behind the bar was picking up a telephone beside the cash register as she passed him. Other patrons were shouting encouragement to the blond man and the burly guy in the blue checked shirt was reaching for Chase's collar but all action faded into the background. She heard, in her mind, Brian asking if she had ever unhealed something. Teeth bared in a snarl, she caught Blondie's arm as he swung forward to deliver another blow. All at once her mind started to race through his body, seeing a cut he'd gotten shaving that morning, a scratch from a metal door last week. Still more, the burn on his wrist taking supper out of the oven, farther until she found the old healed fracture in his right femur. The molecules deconstructing, the new bone dissolving away, re-fissuring and Blondie screamed as he dropped to the floor.  
“My fucking leg! Shit!”  
He tore away from her grip as he fell, breaking contact with her. She stood there panting, reaching out to re-establish contact when Grace's hand closed around her shoulder, dragging her from the bar. As she stumbled backwards, she saw Logan rush past her, heard yelling. She was suddenly weak, dizzy. She clutched Grace's arm as Grace guided her to the far sitting area and eased her onto one of the bright blue couches. Sophie rushed over, followed by Brian from the opposite direction, “What the hell, I go to the john for a minute and the whole place done gone crazy!”  
“What's going on?” Sophie sat beside Brenna while Grace ran back to the bar, “Someone said the police are on their way over because Chase got into a fight!”  
Brenna's head lolled back against the cushions of the couch, “Can we not just leave?”  
Sophie brushed her forehead, “I don't think so, not with the police coming.”  
The crowd from the bar had spilled out into the alley. Logan was practically lifting Chase by the collar yanking him out of the middle of the melee. Grace was shouting at the bartender who was standing there hands on his hips, yelling back at her.  
Logan reached the couch, depositing Chase beside Brenna, “Where the hell is Joey, we might need him. Damnit I want a beer!”  
Joey was a junior, a telepath though he wasn't particularly strong.  
Brenna made a move to point in the direction where she thought she'd seen Joey but another wave of vertigo hit her.  
Brian leaned over Brenna, “Dude, the hell did you do?”  
Chase held his hand to his jaw, moving it gently back and forth, “One of those guys saw what Ethan did, called us fucking freaks, so I followed him into the bar and confronted him.”  
“So sorry, Chase.” Brenna mumbled, finally able to raise her head a bit, “I did not want you to get hurt.”  
“So then Brenna grabs the guy and he falls down screaming like he was gut shot.”  
Had it happened that fast? It had felt like an eternity to her. She tried to focus, looking down the alley at where Logan was standing, nearly belly to belly with the guy who'd been sitting at the bar and she closed her eyes. She was in a lot of trouble.

Her head had cleared considerably. The squawk of the radio from the cops who stood talking to the bartender made her strangely nervous. The paramedics were kneeling beside Blondie, checking his vitals as he ranted on about the mutant stink in the alley. Grace and Logan stood talking to another cop who seemed a bit sympathetic, an older man with graying hair. He turned then and walked over to the couch where she still sat and stood looming over her, his hand poised with a black stylus over a small cell pad.  
“Hello, I'm Officer Jacobs, can you tell me what happened tonight?”  
She went over what she remembered, following Chase into the bar, seeing him get hit. She stopped then, afraid until she saw Grace nod. Then she told him that she had grabbed the man's arm and he had hurt his leg.  
“Or rather I did,” she sighed.  
“Did you kick him?” The officer tapped out something on the cell pad.  
“No sir. I... unhealed him.”  
“Unhealed him?”  
“He had an old injury, I re-opened it.... I did not want my boyfriend to get hurt.”  
The cop stopped, mumbled as he tapped on the pad, “...re...opened..it.” he looked over his shoulder to where the other two cops were standing. “Okay. Stay right here, let me talk to my partners.”  
“At least Miss Munroe weren't here,” Brian tried to reassure her, “She gets real upset when shit like this goes down.”  
Brenna felt tears prickle her eyes, “Why did they call us freaks?”  
Chase rubbed her back, “Cause they're ignorant assholes.”  
The black and blue mark on his jaw was dark and she put her hand to it gently, “Does it hurt much?”  
“Nope. Don't worry about it.”  
“I can heal it.”  
Chase shook his head, “Later, okay?”  
Logan, Grace and the older cop returned to where they sat on the couch. The cop sighed, glancing over at Blondie where he sat on the bright orange and blue carpeting talking to the paramedics.  
“They want to press charges..”  
Brenna tilted her head, looked at Logan.  
“It means they think they had every right to call ya a freak so they want to get ya in trouble, kid.  
When Brenna started to cry, the cop, rubbed his chin, leaned over, “Listen, I don't know what to tell you. Hell my brother is a mutant. So was my great grandmother but if they want to press charges that's their prerogative and this guy's not any too savory. We've dealt with him before.”  
“What..” Brenna squeaked between sobs, “What if I were to heal his leg? Would they reconsider then?”  
Officer Jacobs looked back at where the blond man sat on the floor of the alley outside the bar, surrounded by people and motioned to one of the officers who stood talking to another witness. They met a few feet away, talking quietly for a moment. The other officer, a younger man with black hair, turned his head to stare at her then looked back at Officer Jacobs and nodded.  
“He's going to ask them if they would agree to it but I can tell you, he's a little prick. My son went to school with him.”  
Brenna peered around Officer Jacobs, watching as the other officer bent down and talked to the blond man who was currently having his blood pressure taken by a paramedic. The blond shook his head at first until the officer pointed to his leg and said something more. The blond paused, glanced her way and then shrugged. The officer looked up then and crooked his finger at her. She stood up, Chase with her but Logan pointed to the couch.  
“You sit, he wanted her.”  
She walked up to where the blond sat on the floor. The officer put a hand on her shoulder though he addressed the blond man, “Now if she does what she says she can, and you walk away without a scratch, can we call this a draw because pressing charges means you have to appear in court, she has to appear in court. There's lawyer fees, time wasted waiting for the county. You gotta say what you said in court and who knows who'd be sitting in the juror's box. It's your choice, just saying no harm no foul.”  
When the blond glared up at her, she wished she had split the shaving cut on his face wide open. The burly man from the bar gave him a nudge with his foot, “Jesus, Garrett, you want to wait for that fracture to heal on its own all over again? Let her do whatever she's going to do and next time you might try shutting your goddamn mouth.”  
The blond stared up at the man, “Fuck you, Holmes,” then back to Brenna, waving his hand at his leg, “What the fuck ever. Go ahead.”  
Brenna knelt down beside him, her hands shaking as she laid them on the bare skin at his ankle and closed her eyes. The pathway to the fracture had already been laid out in her mind but re-healing it took a bit longer and the seconds ticked by into minutes. She felt embarrassed, nervous. Why had it happened so fast when she'd unhealed the fracture in the first place? Was it her anger that had fed her power?  
“You got enough of a feel, Christ?” Garrett muttered.  
Brenna concentrated harder until finally the bone fused together again into one solid piece. She took her hands away. “Stand up, it is done.”  
The blond put his foot beneath him slowly, his face a grimace as if he expected pain to shoot up his leg. When he put weight on the leg to stand, however, his face smoothed out. He took Holmes's hand and pulled himself up to stand.  
“Now can we agree to go our separate ways and be done with this?” Officer Jacobs stared at Garrett who paused, stamping his leg on the floor.  
“Yeah, whatever,” he threw Brenna an icy glare.  
Behind her, she heard Grace let out a long breath, “Okay, I think we should call this a night, don't you?”

After Grace spoke once more to the officers, they piled into the two black vans out in the parking lot. Logan was driving the van Chase and Brenna were in. Brenna sat in the back, her face buried on Chase's shoulder. “I did not mean to hurt him but you were being hurt and wanted to stop him.”  
“I know, sweetie. I shoulda let the comment roll off my back.”  
“My father is right, every time I think I have proved him wrong, I am proved wrong instead. Humans are so cruel.”  
“Not all a them.” Brian leaned over the seat behind them. “Some, not all.”  
“Most of the humans I have met have treated me poorly. Only the mutants have ever treated me well. I want to go home.”  
Chase sat up, “Brenna, don't say that, you know it makes me nervous.”  
Brenna felt his arm tighten around her, “I am sorry, Chase. I miss my Mama, she always makes everything better.”  
“Don't I?”  
In the driver's seat, Logan rolled his eyes.  
“Of course you do.”  
“Then I'll make this alright too, okay? Just stay here, stick it out.”  
She leaned into him, “I will try.”  
Chase eased back into the seat, “I'll take care of you, Bren.”  
She allowed herself a ghost of a smile in the dark as she thought to herself, _or perhaps I shall take care of you._


	53. 53

For the tenth time, Loki nearly fell over Fen as he made trip after trip to the wagons. Finally he took Fen by the shoulders, swinging him out of the way, planting him firmly beside Eidra who was kneeling on the floor of their bedchamber, folding blankets and setting them in a trunk.  
“Stay here and help your mother.” Loki let him go after a moment  
“Yes, Papa.”  
Eidra took Loki's hand before he could return to his work, “Relax, my heart. Everything shall go smoothly.”  
He bent over, kissed her palm and was out the front door again.  
Eidra held out a hand to Fen, “Give me the coverlet on the bed, please.”  
Fen draped the coverlet over his head, weaving to Eidra who smiled though she chided him, “Fen, you are dragging the edges across the floor, come now, lift it up.”  
She caught movement out of the corner of her eye, turned her head to see Sally standing in the doorway, watching her.   
“Have you finished packing already?”  
Sally shook her head, “I confess I've not. I've been thinking on what ye said last evening.”

They had been sitting at the table musing about their last meal in the cottage when Eidra had been struck by a terrible thought.   
“Silas and Chris, we must leave them here so far away?”  
Even Loki had sat there, distress clear upon his face though he tried to offer up a solution, “I will speak to Vedic on the morrow before we leave. Whosoever takes over this cottage and the land must maintain the graves as well. Does that suit you?”  
Eidra had reluctantly agreed though she had made Loki promise they would visit the graves at least once every moon or so.

Sally walked over to sit on the bed, “I am staying here.”  
Eidra stopped moving, folded coverlet in her arms, “What?”  
“I'm staying here. I'll tend to them for ye. My beloved Chris and poor angel Silas.”  
Eidra rose from the floor to sit beside her, “You must come with us. How can you hope to stay here alone?”  
“I've decided to stay in the village with Ren. Ever since ye spoke of the move, I've thought of it. I talked to Ren and she said she would welcome the company so......I will stay here, I will keep the graves.”  
“Sally, we are to have a grand house with plenty of room,” Eidra pulled her hand to her chest hugging it, “You are family, my dearest friend.”  
Sally leaned over and bussed her cheek, “I shall visit ye often, and ye shall visit me.”  
Fen had been standing there, listening to them. Now he leaned over Sally's lap, taking her face in his hands. “Why do you not want to come with us, Aunt Sally?”  
Sally covered his hands with hers. “My little lamb, I'll not be far away, but think of Uncle Chris here alone with no one to visit him. Ye'll ken someday.”  
“Will you visit us?”  
“I did not know 'twas time to rest?”   
Eidra looked up to see Loki standing in the doorway, hands on his hips.  
“Papa, Aunt Sally has said she is going to live with Ren. Tell her she must come with us,” Fen was at his side, tugging on his cloak.  
Loki put his hand on Fen's head as he eyed Sally, “Hush, boy. Is this true? Will you not be joining us?”  
Sally seemed about to cry, her countenance reflected in her voice, “No, I'll be staying here. Ren is getting on in age. I could be of help to her and truth be told, I'm loathe to leave my beloved so far away where I cannot visit him whenever I like.”  
Loki stood there, arms crossed before him, visibly moved though he nodded, “As you wish. Our home will be the poorer for your absence.”  
Sally rose from the bed and enfolded him into a great hug. After a moment's hesitation he returned it until she stepped back.  
“I cannot thank ye enough for all ye did for us, Loki. I'll be forever in yer debt. Sure and Chris agrees with me wherever he be.” She took a deep breath then smoothed out her dress and nodded, “I'll help ye finish packing then, 'tis getting late and ye need to be on the road if ye wish to make the manor before nightfall.”  
Loki turned to the sound of the front door and Sylvan's face peeked into the bedchamber, “What is next to be done?”  
Loki held up his hand, “Eidra, is the trunk ready to be loaded on the wagon?”  
Eidra stood up, “All I must do is roll up the mattress and tie it. We will need more..”  
“Eidra,” Loki was as her side, “We do not need the mattress, do you recall? Our bed is there already, waiting for us.”  
Eidra clutched her hand to her chest, “This bed has seen so much over the seasons. Could we not bring it for a spare?”  
Loki put his hand upon the mattress beside hers, “Of course, my heart, I share your feelings. We may take the bed as long as it is done in haste. We will need to make room on the wagon. Let me help you.”  
After a few minutes, the mattress was rolled up and tied off, Sylvan and Moran having carried the wooden frame out to the waiting wagons. Loki had enlisted the help of the two young men and their wagons to bring the household to the new manor. In exchange for their service, he had given them one of his pigs which they had chosen and brought home a few days previous when they had driven the livestock to the manor with him.  
It would nevertheless, still be an arduous task to reach the manor. The wagons being on runners as of yet and laden with goods, the horses would still have a time pulling them though a new coat of snow overnight would help the wagons slide easier. They worked feverishly by lantern light to finish loading the wagons with what they wished to take, interrupted once by Cait whom Sally sat with feeding her warmed porridge. At six moons, Cait was possessed of three teeth with one more coming, and a good bite which Eidra had suffered more than once, causing her to reluctantly given up nursing, instead using the horn bottle that had been Fen's. She had endeavored to express her milk, a task which proved fruitless. She'd finally given in to cow's milk, water or cider which Cait loved above all else.  
Eidra had fussed over Sally, wanting to stay and help her pack her own trunk but Sally waved her off, explaining that she had plenty of time to do so seeing as Moran and Sylvan were promised to pick her up on their return trip back to Rialo. Eventually there was nothing left to do but take a coal from the fire and put it in the tinder box so that they might light the new hearth with it.   
Loki and Eidra had ridden out to the graves in the clearing before the previous evening's meal and said their goodbyes, Loki with his hands planted upon the boulder he had made Lightning to drag here to start the cairn. He had chiseled Chris's name into the rock in the manner Chris told him of when he had spoken of the gravestones on Midgard, It was this name he traced with his finger as he stood shin deep in the snow. Eidra wiped the tears from his cheek and they had returned to the cottage for their final night under its thatched roof.  
Sally walked out to the wagons with them, carrying Cait with her and Eidra was suddenly struck with the fear that she would never see Sally again. Sally handed Cait to Eidra as she and Helgi exchanged a tearful embrace.   
“I suppose now I shall truly be the oldest woman in the household,” Helgi sniffled, cupping Sally's face in her hands and kissing her forehead, “Take care of yourself. Come for a visit when the weather turns milder.”  
Sally watched Loki help Helgi into the back of the wagon he would be driving, felt arms about her waist and hugged Fen to her, “Me little lamb. Ye be sure to help Mama with baby Cait.”  
Fen nodded, tightening his embrace before he turned and into the back of the wagon to sit in the fresh straw. Eidra handed a wrapped Cait up to Helgi then turned to Sally, her hands to her bodice, “Oh dear, I cannot bear to say goodbye for it seems too final. I will say farewell. You did so much for us, for our family. You made me see sense, restored my life to me.”   
She hugged Sally, trying to hide her tears in her shoulder, “I love you, my dearest friend.”  
“I love ye too, and I will see ye when winter looses it's hold on the land.”  
Eidra climbed into the wagon beside Loki. Sally stood watching as they made the road and turned the horses, heading out of Rialo just as the sun peaked over the horizon. She kept her gaze on them until no little part of them could be discerned, then sighed and retreated to the warmth of the cottage to pack her trunk.

 

The wind cut into the wagon fiercely. Eidra wrapped the blankets about the four of them as tight as she could. Cait had long ago fallen asleep with the rocking of the wagon and was now warm, cradled in her arms. They watched the road fall away behind them, Sylvan and Moran bringing up the rear with their own loads. Eidra pulled the blanket from her face for a moment to look up at Loki.  
“Do you wish to trade places with me? You must be freezing.”  
Loki shook his head but did not turn to her, “And I would ask my wife to take my place in such conditions? Cover up, keep warm.”  
“And you would play the chivalrous husband until you freeze solid? Stubborn boy.”  
From her angle upon the hay, she could see the corner of his mouth turn up in a smile,“Boy?Stubborn man. My treasure, if I find I can bear it no longer, we will stop to warm ourselves. For now, stay covered and worry not about me.”  
“Easier said than done,” She grumbled but turned the blanket over her head again as Helgi rolled her eyes, “Stubborn boy, indeed.”

The land between Rialo and their new home fell steadily away and Eidra drifted into a light sleep along with Helgi and Fen though she would jump each time the runners would find a rock or a dip, gripping Cait tight to her. She kept moving to find a comfortable position. Now into her third moon, she had noticed a slight rounding of her stomach, unexpected so soon though she reasoned that having four babies had taken its toll on her body. Any change would be noticeable. She shifted Cait to find another good position.  
When she opened her eyes once more, she sensed the light had changed, felt Cait shift in her arms and giggle. She saw Cait pulling at the blankets around her then uncovered her head, wincing at the cold. “Loki are you frozen solid yet?”  
He had raised the hood of his cloak and so she heard the reply, albeit muffled,“Yes, I will count upon you to thaw me later.”  
She clucked her tongue, “I am quite serious.”  
“So am I.”  
She tried to see past the front of the wagon, “How much further?”  
“We are nearly there. Cover up!” He waved impatiently at her again.  
She sighed, wrapped the blanket back around her and felt the wagon lurch forward as they started down a hill, moments later, turning into the path on their right. She handed Cait to Helgi who had started awake when they had turned, wrapped her cloak around her and climbed over the hay bales to the seat beside Loki.  
“You should be back there. It is too cold up here,” he chided her, his face red from the cold.   
“We are here, soon I will be warm.”  
Her stomach quivered in anticipation, she felt nervous. There would be new people, new routines. She would wish to rise in the morning to make the meal for her family. Would the servants let her help? Would Loki entreat her to stay out of the kitchen, to let the servants do their chores? She huddled closer to him as they swung into the dooryard and stopped before the front door.   
The manor blazed with light. A woman opened the door as she stepped down from the wagon seat. As she turned about, she gasped, “Ingrid?”  
Ingrid smiled broadly. Cradled in her arms was a small baby, half the size of Cait, “Is this baby Eidra?” She tickled the sleeping babe under her chin.  
“It is. I was settling of the house for you but she would not have it and she wailed till I picked her up. Silas says I coddle her too much.”  
A young boy a bit bigger than Fen came racing out of the doorway to grab Ingrid's skirt. “Mother, might I have a biscuit?”  
“You may not until we have seen everyone inside. We shall eat soon. Mind your manners.”  
Gunnar whirled about to face Eidra and jumped back behind Ingrid's skirts. Eidra, feeling a tug on her sleeve looked down to see Fen peering at Ingrid and Gunnar.  
“Fen,” Loki called to him, “Come help...”  
“Loki,” Eidra put her hand down to stroke Fen's hair, “Do you not have enough help with the boys?”  
“Very well. Fen,” Loki put his hands on his hips, giving a nod to Ingrid who curtsied to him, “attend to your mother.”  
Helgi had made the doorstep with Cait who now held out her hands for Eidra. She took Cait to her, wrapping her cloak about the both of them as they walked inside though Helgi halted, peering in to the vast foyer.   
“Come inside,” Eidra called to her but Helgi shook her head as she started for the wagons.  
“If I am to sleep tonight, I shall need to see the wagons unpacked properly.”  
“Do not stay outside long. Loki do you hear me? Send her in ere she falters.”  
“I will indeed,” Loki waved at her, “Now get you inside.”  
“She has grown so,” Ingrid remarked, brushing Cait's dark wavy hair as she waved her hand, slapping at the stays of Eidra's bodice.  
When they entered the foyer, so transformed was the interior, it was as though she was seeing the manor for the first time. Lanterns hung on the walls, silver reflectors bouncing the firelight into the rooms which had been swept and scrubbed and dusted. To her left in the library, she saw stuffed chairs done in dark green velvet, a low table between them. The shelves lining the walls had been wiped down and she smiled as she saw a small row of tomes. Loki had brought her books on his last trip. There was a divan done in the same green velvet beneath one of the tall arched windows. Woven rugs lay scattered about strategically where someone would wish to rest their feet as they sat reading.   
She walked into the room, shivering at the rush of cold air which seemed to assault her. Before the fireplace to her right was a beautifully embroidered fire screen on a stand. Leaning against the wall beside the fireplace waiting to be hung above the mantle was a portrait of a young boy dressed in fine court robes, his long black hair flowing over his shoulders, his eyes the same eyes she looked into every night before bed. She caressed the gilded frame, “Look how young he was.”  
Hearing shouts of excitement and laughter, Eidra returned to the foyer. In the large sitting room at the other side of the foyer, Fen was racing back and forth with Gunnar.  
“Boys!” Ingrid cried, “This play is better suited for out of doors.”  
Gunnar skidded to a stop with Fen behind him, “Might we go out of doors?”  
“No, we shall be setting down to the evening meal soon. Why do you not see if you might be of help in the kitchen,” she stole a look at Eidra who was smiling, “Perhaps the cook will allow you a biscuit.”  
Baby Eidra yawned, pronouncing her opinion of the whole affair and Ingrid lifted her to her shoulder, “Come there is more.”   
She led Eidra into the sitting room before them and was pleased when Eidra's mouth dropped open. Before the hearth sat two carved chairs. She ran her hand along the back of first one, then the other, Cait gripping the dark wood, trying to pull herself forward.  
“Our chairs.”   
She walked around them, reading her name carved into the dark wood. “So many wonderful nights were spent in them.”  
“And many more shall follow,” Ingrid replied.

Despite the promise of a meal, it was well past sundown when the wagons were finally emptied. The trunks were brought into the foyer. Their bed, which would now be used as a spare, was placed in an empty bedchamber, the animals were fed and taken care of for the night. Only then did everyone assemble in the dining hall at the long oak table to eat.   
The cook was a short, stout man, bald but with a dark close-cropped beard, piercing brown eyes hooded under a low brow, stern, though the laugh lines about his eyes belied a merrier temperament than was first perceived. He stood, arms crossed, watching the small group assemble at the table.  
“I will have you know that I have waited this meal for far longer than is proper.”   
Loki was last at the table, following behind Moran and Sylvan. He spied the cook and stopped short, eyes narrowed, peering hard at him.  
“I know you.”  
The cook gave a wry smile, “You know of me. I will wager you do not know me at all.”  
Eidra watched the exchange, looked to Ingrid and shrugged.  
“In King Freyr's castle, you were a server. Many seasons ago.”  
In response, the cook nodded, “I was indeed. I learned my trade and set to traveling, I ended up cooking for one of the Aesir in Asgard,was called upon by the King and found myself in your employ. Now if you will sit down, I may do the job I was hired for.”   
The cook motioned to Ingrid who made to hand the baby to Gunnar. Instead, Helgi held out her hands, “Here now, let me tend to her.”  
Ingrid smiled, laying a sleeping baby Eidra in Helgi's arms and quickly following the cook back into the kitchen.  
Loki sat down beside Eidra,“He is a dwarf.”   
Eidra turned about to stare into the open doorway of the kitchen then back to Loki,“Is he not a bit tall for a dwarf?”  
“Human father, dwarf mother,” the cook leaned forward at her side to place on the table a large roast in a cast iron pan.  
“Oh do forgive me my indiscretion,” Eidra blushed but the cook laughed out loud.  
“Milady, never beg the forgiveness of a servant. They are at your disposal.”  
Eidra watched him cut the roast, pulling Cait's hands away as she tried to reach for his apron, “I too am half human,” she whispered. He raised an eyebrow though he continued to slice the meat, “And is it not allowed for a servant to beg the forgiveness of another servant?”  
“So it is true. I have heard tell about you,” The cook murmured as he lifted a couple slices of roast onto his serving fork. Eidra handed him up her plate but he gently guided it back to the table.  
“I serve you, Milady,” he caught Loki staring at him, “And you, your majesty.”  
“Your name, what is it? I cannot continue to call you cook,” Loki unfolded his linen napkin into his lap  
“Gretten is my name but cook would suffice,” He continued to serve the roast, interrupted only by the sound of the front door opening. Everyone turned to see who would walk through the archway into the dining hall save Gunnar who jumped up from his chair, “Papa is here!”  
Silas strode into the hall, making a low bow to Loki who was now standing.  
“Your Majesty, I was delayed at the palace. I have brought two new servants with me, Hal, he is to be your valet.”  
A young man stepped from behind Silas. He was scarecrow thin with a short bob of light blond wispy hair, tall though not as tall as Loki. He bowed deeply then stood, straightening his tunic and vest. “Your Majesty,”  
“Sire, he is none other than Clotho's grandson.”   
Hal turned bright red at the reveal, “'Tis..t..true.”  
“And his wife, Vesta, who will keep house.”  
A timid young brunette in a long gray dress appeared from the shadows, trying to slip her hand into Hal's. He immediately pulled away from her with a stern look, tilting his head towards Loki. She curtsied, a little off balance, caught herself and curtsied again.  
“Come sit and eat,” Loki waved them to the table, Hal finally taking Vesta's hand, guiding her along.  
Loki took Silas's forearm and laid his hand on Silas's shoulder, “It is good to see you.”

By the end of the meal, Fen and Gunnar had fallen asleep in their chairs, Cait was rubbing her eyes and baby Eidra was curled up in Ingrid's arms, her chubby fingers grasping at a dream. Loki lifted Fen up, nodding to Gretten who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, hands clasped behind his back.  
“A fine meal, Gretten.”  
“I am glad it pleases your Majesty,” Gretten bowed as he started to clear the table with Ingrid and Vesta.

Eidra placed Cait, with no small amount of hesitation, in the new crib that had been brought from the palace and quickly set to making Fen's bed while Loki waited, sitting on the window sill in the nursery.   
“Imagine having all this room.”   
She looked about, spying Cait who was now sitting up, peering through the carved spindles with a low whine, “Are you sure this is not all too much?”  
Loki laid Fen in his bed, covering him with the blankets and tucking them under the mattress to keep the cold out, then he crossed the room to the crib where Cait was trying to pull herself up to stand though her legs were not yet ready.   
“It may seem so now but we shall become used to it.”  
He heard the front door close and walked to one of the windows. Silas was lifting Gunnar to sit on his horse. Ingrid had already mounted on her own steed, baby Eidra in a sling before her. They waved to Hal and Vesta who were headed along the snowy path to a small cottage, a trunk carried between them. “I wonder could I not convince Silas to build a cottage closer so that they would have no need to travel so late at night?”  
“You could try,” Eidra had walked to the crib and was now watching Cait smile up at them when she put a hand to her mouth. “Oh my, the tinder box....”  
“....Is on the hearth in the receiving room.”  
Eidra lifted Cait from her crib, glad for a reprieve, “We could make a small one, until she falls asleep.”  
“My love, the fires were already burning before we arrived and they have been damped down for the night.”  
“But to let the coal from our old hearth die out?” Eidra frowned, “ 'Tis such bad luck.”  
Loki sighed loudly, gesturing to the bedchamber door, “Indeed. In all the world we would not want to visit bad luck upon our home.”  
A moment later, they were seated before the hearth in the receiving room. Loki had touched the coal to the dry tinder beneath a couple logs, blowing on it until the tinder lit.  
Loki sat back in his chair, arm stretched across to touch her elbow, “On the morrow, I must travel to Asgard. There is much to be done. Thor wishes the children recognized soon and you are to be given title as well.”  
“I like not the thought of a title, Loki. I must confess.”  
He stared into the low flames, “You have grown used to the life of a farmer. All shall be well.”  
“Then I am to be left here alone on my first day to run a household?” she stroked Cait's hair, watching as her eyes started to close.  
Loki turned his head to look at Eidra, “You knew this when we agreed to move. I will be back and forth to the palace, and so shall my family. You, the children..”  
“I only wish we had time to settle in first.”  
“Everything will even out, we will be settled.”Loki caressed her arm as she gazed across at him.  
, “Were it that Brenna were home, I could be content.”  
“She will come home eventually. She will see how things have changed and never wish to leave again.”  
Eidra kissed Cait's head, “From your mouth to the gods ears. I can hardly wait.”


	54. 54

Leroy paused outside of Jesse's room on his rounds, shaking his head. Inside he could hear laughing, giggling. Thumping like someone was prancing around the room. He banged on her door, “Shut the hell up, it's after hours!”  
Jesse leaped onto the bed, covering her mouth with her hands to stifle herself until she heard Leroy's footsteps continue down the hall then she grabbed her pillow up and screamed into it.   
She had been watching late night TV because there was nothing else to do as usual. The bastard wouldn't even let her have a little laptop. She had told him on his last visit that she was a product of her environment. Then he'd gone on and on about what abuse does to a child, the abuse she'd suffered at the hands of her brother, her father. She had laughed at him then, telling him that keeping her locked up here like some lab rat was abuse too. He'd become agitated and left though not before he had taken her hands like in some hokey romantic movie, saying he might have a way to cure her. She had told him letting her out of this jail cell doubling as a patient's room would go a long way towards a cure, had tried to seduce him to her bed again, but he had calmly pushed her away, leaving her to a long night of bad tv.  
When the commercial for the cruise had come on again, she had put her nose to the screen, pretending she was the one sliding down the water slide, staring out across the ocean at the sunset. The next commercial had been for maxi pads. She had sniffed the screen nosily pretending to smell the clean fresh scent the woman's voice was confidently touting. As the commercial ended, shifting to The Late Show, she had hit upon the play to get her the hell out of this cell once and for all.  
It was so simple. She had a box of pads which would usually last her roughly two months and she was down to her last batch. Her cramps had already started last night, her period was on its way but the only one who knew it was her. She wouldn't be using the pads this time though. She'd use wadded toilet paper, flushing the evidence down the toilet and after her period was finished, she would tell David she was late. She clapped her hands excitedly. She would even stick the unused pads to the wall in letters spelling out “HI DAD!” just for emphasis. He wouldn't dare have her tested here in the facility. After all, how could she possibly get pregnant when only two men ever visited her little cell, hmm? There would be too many questions to answer. He would have to take her to the gynecologist to get her a pregnancy test. She frowned, trying to imagine just how she would slip away in the gyno's office but that solution would present itself in time. Then she'd be free of this room, free of this state, free of him. The cruise loomed ever closer each day.

 

In the early morning hours, Loki opened the doors of his wardrobe and stared wondering into their depths as he had gazed at his bed when he and Eidra had retired that previous evening. They had stood transfixed, their lives seeming to come full circle as they slid beneath the sheets, coupling for the second time in their new home.  
He reached inside to take his court dress from the hooks, fighting the urge to return to their bed where Eidra lay curled up in a warm ball. He would add another log to the fire in the hearth before he left, the room seemed cold. When he closed the wardrobe door, he was met by a face and he stumbled backwards, nearly dropping his garments to the floor.  
“Forgive me Sire, I was downstairs preparing for the day when I heard movement overhead and came to investigate. Might I help you?”   
Hal stood there, hands behind his back as Loki caught his breath, shook his head.  
“It has been ages since I was attended to. I am much used to doing so myself.” He made to draw off his nightshirt and drop it onto the bed, however, Hal's hand was out, waiting.   
“If I might so inquire,” Hal draped the nightshirt over his arm, “..how did Sire dress before?”  
Loki chuckled softly, trying not to wake Eidra, “My wife attended me at times. More often that not, I would do so myself.”  
Hal clucked his tongue, stepping back to allow Loki room.

Eidra stirred, the lantern light waking her and she peeked over the edge of the coverlet to see her husband's naked form at the end of the bed. She smiled at the memory of the night previous, watching him as he slid his breeches on.   
“What a beautiful sight so early in the morning,” She murmured. As he turned, Hal appeared from the shadows and she squealed, burrowing beneath the covers until only her eyes were visible. “Goodness!”  
Loki finished tying the laces on his breeches, “Eidra, 'tis only Hal.”  
“But I am unclothed!” She hissed.  
“And 'neath the covers,” Loki looked to Hal, “If you will excuse us, I would have a moment alone with my wife.”  
Hal tilted his head curiously, “Does Sire wish me to return to assist him?”  
“Not this morning I think. I shall manage.”  
Hal bowed low, clutching the now folded nightshirt in his hands, “As you wish.”  
He glided from the bedchamber, the door closing behind him with a click.  
Loki sat down on the bed beside Eidra, tugging the covers down until he had uncovered her startled face, “You mustn't be frightened so. You will learn to expect their presence in time.”  
“If it is so, I shall have the aid of a woman not a man to help me dress.”  
“I would have it no other way,” he purred, drawing her out with his kisses as she sought to pull him back beneath.  
“Ah, I must not tarry, I am expected at court....gods, you tempt me so.”  
“Loki, I do not know what to do,” she held fast to his tunic, “I wish to rise. To help settle the house, milk the cows, ready the hearth in the kitchen for the day's meals...”  
He drew his thumb across Eidra's trembling bottom lip,“My love, my heart, you need not do anything you do not wish to. You have servants to take care of you.”   
He rose fluffing her pillow for her, “Now lay your pretty head down and find your dreams again.”  
She did as she was told, watching him until he was standing there in his court dress, dark green vestments, leather breeches, firelight glinting off the burnished metal links of the necklace at his chest, showing all who now looked to him where his fealty lie. At the end of the necklace hung a small intricately carved dark gold flat charm in the shape of Mjolnir.  
When she sensed he was ready to leave, she closed her eyes, felt the bed sag, a lingering kiss at her temple, then all was silent. She waited for a bit longer until she was sure he'd left, hearing Lightning's hoof beats as he trotted out of the dooryard, then she was up. She threw open one of the trunks, drew out her dresses and began to lay them on the bed, readying them to be hung in the smaller wardrobe they had brought from the cottage in Rialo. She bent over the bed at the thought of her old home, closing her eyes for a moment until the feeling of remorse passed and stood up shivering. The cold pervading the room even with the rekindled blaze in the fireplace persuaded her to seek her bed jacket buried low in the trunk. She donned it then, continuing to unpack in the low light of the lantern on the writing desk before the bedchamber windows.

The sun had cleared the horizon by the time Loki dismounted from Lightning in the main courtyard and trotted up the steps into the palace which was already abuzz with activity. He nodded at people as he passed them, a considerable number pausing, trying to make sense of what they were seeing, bowing belatedly. He headed for the throne room first, found it empty, deciding then to make his way to the Great Hall to see if the King was taking his morning meal.  
Thor sat at the head of the long table, his head bent over his plate. He was alone otherwise, save for a server who stood nearby ready to assist him. Loki's footsteps brought Thor about and when he looked up, his smile radiated boyish joy. He gestured to the seat on his right, “Sit, Brother! Jules, set a place for the prince!”  
The server bowed low and hurried away as Loki put his hand up, “Thor, I do not wish to impose.”  
“Nonsense,” Thor came around the table and pulled out the chair, “I desire agreeable company and we have so much to discuss, to do. You need your strength, you have ever been skin and bones.”  
Loki drew off his long jacket, draping it over the back of the chair. The braziers scattered about made the room comfortably warm.  
“Ah it is my constitution. You have ever been over large. Where is Sif and the crown prince? Do they not join you?” Loki nodded as the server sat a plate before him.  
Thor sat back in his chair, a mug of hard cider in one hand, “Sif is angry with me. She has not spoken to me willingly in half a fortnight. You see, when I told her you were to be returning to court as my advisor, she was incensed.”  
Loki took up the mug before him and sniffed the hard cider, taking a sip, “She has no love for me, this I know.”  
“Ah”, Thor sat forward, setting the mug down with a dull thonk, “But do you know whose position you now occupy?”  
Loki raised an eyebrow, “Gods, Thor. Whatever have you done?”  
Thor roared with laughter, “I gave you Magnus's position. I returned him to the Captain of the Guards. He is at this moment far away in Muspelheim dealing with a disagreement between the Alfari and the fire Jotunn.”  
Loki could scarce contain the smile that crept to his face, “....thus removing him from the picture so you hope?”  
“I do. He shall be kept busy far away from this city.”  
Loki looked at his plate upon which were piled sausages, fried potatoes, a chunk of fresh bread and farmer's cheese and he yearned to be home sitting across the table from Eidra.  
“I ken your intentions but do you not think you might make more than a few enemies with such a move? The Aesir worship him as a hero and a warrior.”  
“As they do their king. I told father of my decision and for the first time since the beginning of my reign, he applauded me with tears in his eyes. He was proud of me.”  
Loki speared one of the sausages, “You have removed an enemy from your fold. At the very least a usurper. Tell me, did he react so favorably when you told him who was to replace the warrior at your side?”  
Thor stood, strode to his chair and laid a hand on his shoulder, “You could scarce believe how happy he was to hear we were to be united again for the good of the realm. He entreated me to bring your children to the palace to start their education with all due haste. He forgets that Brenna is yet on Midgard.”  
“I doubt Eidra will let Fen go so easily, either. She fears Sif's anger.”  
Thor started to pace, “Eidra is the mother of royalty. She is wedded to the prince regent, therefore she holds the title of princess. While Sif, as the high queen, will not need to curtsy to her, Eidra will nevertheless be an equal. She has little to fear.”  
Loki kept his thoughts to himself, merely smiled. Eidra had spoken to him before the move. She feared not the direct anger of the woman, but the anger when directed at Loki, or worse, Fen or Brenna were she to return from Midgard. She feared of plots to do away with all threats to the line of descent. Such a black heart as Sif would think nothing of such deceit.  
“A full moon is coming, the time is auspicious. Five days hence, you will bring your family to Asgard. The children will be marked and recognized. Eidra will be announced by her title. In time, when Brenna returns, she too shall be welcomed accordingly.”  
Loki stared at his plate, overwhelmed, “My family will become part of the royal lineage. What shall the Queen think of it?” Thor paused as Loki continued, “Sif has her loyal followers also.”  
“Followers though they be, their power is limited to their station,” Thor's hand slipped from his brother's shoulder and he returned to his chair, dropping down heavily.  
“I suspect not many know of my return save Mother and the Allfather, judging by the startled looks I received upon my arrival today,” Loki drained his chalice, Jules moving forward to refill it as soon as it touched the table.  
“The High Council knows, the Aesir know. They are all who count. Odin's beard, it is good to have you back, Loki. It is good to have one whom I feel I may trust.”  
“If you feel you may trust me above all others, whomever have you been surrounding yourself with?”  
Thor smiled, “Do not tease. Come, finish your meal and we will walk. I have much to discuss with you.”

After she'd finished unpacking one trunk, Eidra had slipped into the nursery to find Cait playing quietly in her crib with her leather ball. She carried her downstairs, setting her in her pen while she began a fire in the dining hall hearth. As she stood, straightening her skirts, she heard a gasp from behind her as Vesta rushed forward with a curtsey, “Forgive me Milady. I did not know you were up. Shall I send Hal to waken Gretten?”  
Vesta stoked the fire, ready to jump at a single word.  
“Vesta?” Eidra tilted her head and smiled as the young woman nodded, “You need not trouble anybody. I shall fix the morning meal.”  
“Ah....” Vesta took a couple steps after Eidra as she lifted Cait from her pen.  
“Could you please bring her pen for me?” Eidra called as she sailed into the kitchen.  
“Milady...Gretten....um,” Vesta tried to lift the pen, having at last to drag it. When she made the kitchen, Eidra nodded to a corner far enough from the kitchen hearth.  
“Just there, that would be wonderful. Vesta, could I trouble you to start the fire?” Eidra set Cait down into the pen and proceeded to walk about the vast kitchen, opening cupboard doors and drawers.  
“Goodness, we will want for nothing here.”  
Her trunk of dishes, mugs, and linens, pans and pewter sat in a corner untouched. Her old kettle sat by the hearth unused. She immediately set to opening the trunk, unloading the dishes onto a nearby sideboard, “Vesta, where shall I put my dishes now?”  
“In the refuse pile, you ask me.”  
She whirled about to face a disheveled Gretten, nearly losing her balance along with the plates.  
“I beg your pardon?”  
He trumped over to her, tying an apron about his ample waist and took the stack in her hands, setting it none too gently on the sideboard beside the other stack of plates then walked over to one of the cupboards. It reached to the high ceiling and he patted the whitewashed doors.  
“Those old pottery shards would shatter with shame beside these,” he swung open the doors to reveal stacks of porcelain plates, crystal chalices, large platters, mugs chased with gold and silver, their patterns oddly familiar. Eidra stood there, mouth open as Gretten nodded, “The finest set of plate you ever set eyes on. Worked by master craftsman from Alfheim.”  
“But I cannot....I would feel silly using such fine things every day. Can we not use my dishes when we are alone?”  
Gretten fixed her with a hard stare, “And what if company came unannounced?” he shut the cupboard doors, “You would want to embarrass the prince?”  
He strode to the sideboard picking up Eidra's plates, “Vesta, take these and pack them in the trunk again.”  
“But...she...”  
“And another thing,” Gretten pivoted about, “What in the name of Freyr are you doing in my kitchen? You should still be abed with your....” he glared at Cait, “Little princess.”  
Gretten took a small kettle, hanging it on a hook pointing out from the side of the hearth, “Now leave me be so I might start the morning meal.”  
For a long minute, Eidra couldn't move. She watched Gretten fly about the kitchen, hefted Cait from the pen and raced from the kitchen through the dining hall and into the sitting room where she sat in her chair clutching a cooing Cait.

As Eidra flew from the kitchen,Vesta turned to Gretten, “You brute! What possessed you? This is her first day here,” she started out of the kitchen intending to attend to Eidra but stopped, “And she is a lady.”  
“If she is a lady then she needs to learn to act like one. She should not be in here.” Gretten pointed at Vesta with a spoon, “....and neither should you.”  
Vesta gasped at a loss for words, stamped her foot and stuck out her tongue, disappearing from the kitchen in search of Eidra.  
“Women.... in my kitchen.” Gretten muttered, hands on his hips.

Eidra, held Cait close, murmuring to her.  
Vesta, afraid to break the spell, stood wringing her fingers together, “Milady?”  
“This is inane,” Eidra sniffed, “I have worked my whole life. I must do something, clean, cook. I cannot sit here and knit endlessly.”  
“Milady, pay no attention to Gretten, he believes the kitchen is his territory. I tried to warn you....,” she moved closer, “What did you mean when you said you have worked your whole life?”  
Eidra smiled then, aware she should probably keep some things to herself but unable to resist establishing a bond between herself and the shy woman.  
“I was a servant like you.I fell in love with Loki and he with me. We moved to Rialo, then I was a servant again, though on my own terms,” she nuzzled Cait and Vesta grinned.   
“But do you not wish to relax, have things done for you?”  
Eidra shook her head, “I fear I should die of boredom. At the very least I must unpack what we've brought. Will you help me? If you are there with me, they will think you do all the work. Ingrid shall be here soon. It is dawn.”  
Vesta nodded, “Your wish is my command, Milady.”


	55. 55

David canted backwards in his chair, staring up at the plaster ceiling in his office, not really seeing anything. Not registering the dried paint strokes or the cobweb in one of the recessed lights. In fact, if he was able to concentrate at all today, it would be a miracle and after the long weekend he had a lot to concentrate on. Emails to write, admissions to approve, letters to dictate waiting off to the side. Thank God Egan hadn't been with him this morning.   
Jesse had been sitting on her bed, her face split in an unnerving wide smile when Leroy let him into her room. As the door shut, she had thrown open her arms and cried, “Hi Daddy!”  
At first he was under the impression she was acting out upon her years of past abuse but when she had winked and rubbed her stomach, he'd had to sit down, barely making the chair, his clipboard dangling from his fingers. He'd told her he would order a blood test to make sure. But then she had crawled into his lap and asked him how he thought it would look to staff, the questions that would be asked when he sent a blood sample to the lab for a pregnancy test of all things.  
“After all, who sees me? You, old Doc Egan, asshole Leroy and his faggot brother Leon. That leaves four men to point the finger at. Or....,” she had wriggled her behind against his crotch, wrapped her arms around his neck, “You could take me to Doc Steves. I haven't been to the gyno's in a while. I'll bet I'm past due for a poke and grope.”  
When he balked, she'd pointed out that he could concoct a story for the gynecologist easier than trying to bullshit his staff. He could arrange for an abortion, save his career, get her on some sort of birth control. He'd given a weak laugh, telling her there would be no need because he would never be in such a situation again to which she had thrown her legs over either side of his, straddling him in the chair, grinding against him, “Of course you won't.”  
He had held her to him then, his head upon her chest before he'd removed her from his lap, stood up and walked out on unsteady legs.   
He leaned forward, picked up the phone from his desk slipping through the numbers with his thumb, finding Doctor Steves' name and setting up an appointment with the receptionist for the following week. He sat the phone down on the desk, gently, slowly as if any sudden movement would alert someone to his plan. He would take her to the gynecologist's, yes, but first he would be paying a visit to his son. It was time he introduced Jesse to Chase's new girlfriend.

 

When Loki returned home late that evening, he found the house quiet. Upon entering their bedchamber, spying Fen curled up against Eidra's back, Cait cradled in her arms. He lifted Fen, carrying him into his bed in the nursery, tucking the heavy coverlets around him. Returning to the bedchamber, he donned his nightshirt which had been laid out on the stuffed chair before the fireplace and slid beneath the covers replacing Fen, his hand at Eidra's back.   
The next morning, he rose before the household, dressed again, and was on his way to Asgard before dawn. He returned close to midnight that evening, the next day performing the same ritual arriving home well after dark. That evening when he'd lain beside Eidra, she'd shied away from him. He stared at her sleeping form for a long while before he turned over to let sleep take him though not before he had determined that come next morning, he would be home when she awoke.

The sound of a door being shut somewhere in the house roused her from sleep. She opened her eyes to see that the room was lit with the early rays of the sun, felt movement beside her and sat up. “Loki! Loki!” She hissed, “ 'Tis dawn!”  
He took the sleeve of Eidra's nightgown and pulled her back to the pillows, draping his arm over her belly.   
“I am aware of the time.” He gathered her to him, feeling her tense and he opened his eyes, murmuring in her ear, “Would you rather I had already left?”  
“I have simply grown used to your absence.”  
Her reply brought a groan to his lips, “I know, please forgive me.”  
She wriggled from under his arm, throwing her feet out over the floor as he lifted himself up on one elbow, “Where are you going?”  
She crossed to her dressing table, snatching her bedcoat from the chair. “I am going to fetch Cait.”  
Loki was out of bed before she could reach the door, his hands at her shoulders, “I do not hear her fussing, please come back to bed.”  
She wrenched herself from his grasp, pushing at his chest, “You promised! You said you would rather die a thousand deaths ere you spent a night away from me and now you have spent three!”   
“I have been home each night! How say you this?”  
He stepped back as she clenched her fists at her side, “So late that I do not see you, barely feel your touch as you take to our bed. I have not spoken to you since the night we arrived. During the day, I wander about feeling as if I cannot help lest I offend the servants. Even Helgi helps with chores now so I return to my room and sit alone to knit or play with Fen and Cait in the nursery until Ingrid arrives for the day.”  
“As you should be free to do....”  
She gestured towards the door, “At night, I sit in my chair by the fire in the sitting room and knit some more. Gods know what I would do without Ingrid and Helgi. At the very least we have the children and Gunnar plays well with Fen...”  
“I am glad to hear of it...”  
“But when the house is quiet and all are asleep, I lie there alone in my cold bed and there is no one to talk to, no one to hold me,” she rubbed her growing belly, tears flowing freely down her cheeks, “No one to speak to the little one growing within. Gone are the days when I could step outside and find you in the barn or at your forge trying to make horseshoes, working in the field, pitching hay. Were I to have the pleasure of keeping a garden even that is impossible until the ground thaws in spring.”  
He rubbed her arms briskly, gazing into her eyes though she was reluctant to meet his, “I have different chores that I must do now. You would not believe what a disaster Magnus left behind. I have had to oversee the inventory of the grain stores in the palace, meet with the treasurer, write letters to our outlying provinces. He was a warrior, never suited to be the right hand of the king, only put there at the urging of Sif before Thor became wise to her.”  
She shook her head, her hands at his chest.  
“What is it you wish? I will fill your bookshelves with new tomes to read, I shall bring new amusements for Fen and Cait...”  
“I wish for my husband!” she shoved him away from her, “I wish for him to sit at my side after the evening meal and tell me of the mundane details of his day. I wish for him to laugh at Fen's play acting, to hold Cait and make her smile. I was so afraid of this and now it has come to pass!”  
Loki wrapped his arms around her before she could retreat any further, holding her tight as she struggled to free herself, finally giving in, sobbing, her head upon his chest as he stroked her hair, his voice choked with emotion, “My heart, my dearest love. I swear it will not always be this way..”  
He guided her back to sit on the edge of the bed. drawing her into his lap.  
“Thor is a good king, he has found wisdom to be honest and fair even as he is still a bit hotheaded but he has not the mind for figures and facts. That is where I must come in. It will take a bit more time to set things to rights and then I may rest a bit.”  
She pounded her fist upon his chest, “No, you must rest now. Promise me you will come home for the evening meal this night and every night henceforth, be at my side, sit as we used to, as a family, then join me and warm our bed.”  
He kissed her forehead, “I swear I shall endeavor to do your will. I shall, only do not cry anymore. Listen..,” he pulled her face up to stare into her eyes, “On the morrow, you will don your finest clothes, yourself and the children. You are to come to the palace with me to be formally recognized as my wife, the children to be recognized also.”  
“So soon? Were it we had more time to prepare. They will need baths this evening, their clothes to be set out..”  
“...And you shall be given the title of princess..”  
Eidra sat up straight, a hand to her chest, “Princess, Loki, no! A lady perhaps. I do not know how to conduct myself as a princess.”  
“Nevertheless, you are married to a prince, an the title be yours.”  
She dropped her head to his shoulder, “I shall be ostracized even further as a royal. I wish to return to housework. I want to work in the garden come spring, fix meals, or in the very least, help with the cooking.”  
“But you have no need...”  
“I do not care!” she jumped up from his lap to pace the floor and he shook his head as she cried, “I do not ken how the gentry do not die of boredom!”  
“They find other pursuits. Riding, archery, feasting, needlework...” He stood, taking her hand, thankfully finding her much more yielding this time as he smiled, “They will accept you into the fold. You need only work your charms,”  
He nipped at her chin and she closed her eyes as he tugged upon her hand, “In what way?”  
“You will come upon a solution if you think hard upon it. Now return to bed with me for the short time we have. I will need to leave soon, the children will be awake and I wish to show my wife exactly how much I have missed her.”

 

Gretten spooned more porridge into the bowl Eidra was holding out to him.   
“Thank you,” She smiled sweetly at his hard expression.   
“You should have had Vesta fetch it for you,” Gretten held up his hand, taking a small pot from the stand by the hearth, opening it up and drizzling a spoonful of amber liquid across the surface of the porridge, “Maple, from the northern forests.”  
“Cait likes it very much.” She turned to leave the kitchen and paused, “I wish to inquire what we are having for the evening meal. You see, my husband shall be home.”  
Gretten swung the cast iron pole supporting the kettle of porridge away from the fire, “I have three chickens hanging in the cold cellar.”  
Eidra nodded, “He loves chicken. I used to fix them in such a way, he would fair sit by the fire waiting for them to finish roasting.”  
“Did you now?” Gretten grumbled as he spooned porridge into a bowl of his own.  
“I did. It is a long process though it is fairly easy,” Cait squealed loudly from the dining hall turning Eidra's head, “Do excuse me.”  
She was at the doorway into the dining hall when Gretten asked, in a louder voice, “This process, what was it called?”  
She had to bite her tongue to wipe the smile from her face before she looked at him over her shoulder, “It is something I was taught by a Midgardian friend of mine. Let me think....” Cait squealed again, “I shall ponder it. I simply must attend to Cait.”  
She sailed out of the door into the hall where Cait and Fen sat with Helgi. Only then did she allow a giggle to escape her as she sat to the table trying to keep the spoon from Cait's eager grasp. A few minutes later, Gretten brought a pitcher of milk and a tray of chased silver mugs to the table, paused, then stomped back into the kitchen.  
“What has gotten into that old sod?” Helgi stared after him.  
“I confess I do not know.” Eidra's smile quivered at her lips as Helgi eyed her closely.  
“Of course you do not. What are you up to?”  
Eidra cooed at Cait, “Mama is up to nothing. She is innocent.”  
Cait's only response was to cry, “Mamamam” holding her hands out for the spoonful of porridge.

Eidra brought the bowls into the kitchen causing Gretten to roll his eyes, “Set them on the sideboard.”  
She did so, turning to leave until Gretten cleared his throat, “Have you thought any on that process you so highly prize?”  
Eidra wore her best surprise like a trained theater actress, “Ah yes, the process is called brining, have you heard of it?”  
“Brining? What in Freyr's golden crown is that?” he put his hands on his hips.  
“It is the process I told you about. It makes the chicken so moist, so delicious, you would not dream of fixing it any other way again.” Eidra smiled, attempting to leave the kitchen when Gretten swore.  
“Hel and be damned!”  
“My goodness! Whatever is the matter?” Eidra cried, bracing herself against the door frame.  
“How is this apparent miracle of poultry preparation achieved?”  
Eidra put her hands behind her back, “I would show you but a kitchen is no place for a lady.”  
She whirled around, slowing as Gretten mumbled, “Indeed it is not, but if Milord Loki will allow it, I would welcome a lesson or two.”  
Eidra glanced at him to see he had gone bright red, staring at the kitchen floor.   
“Milord is quite fond of this dish. I shall see that allowance is given,”   
Gretten's resulting half grin made her laugh out loud.


	56. 56

Fen kept fidgeting, running up and down the hall leading to the entrance of the throne room where Eidra could hear the buzz of conversation. The torches flickered on the walls, casting eerie dancing shadows everywhere. “Fen, if you do not cease your playing and stand still, I shall hog tie you and carry you bodily through those drapes.”  
“But Mama, I am much too excited!” he cried in an overloud voice which she stopped with a fierce whisper.  
“Fenris, lower your voice and stand still. Your father is on his way. I will not have you embarrass him.”  
“Yes, Mama,” he sidled up to her and hid his face in the velvet folds of her dress, well out of range of Cait's swinging legs. Eidra glanced down at herself and scowled. She had chosen to wear her finest dark blue velvet dress with the white flowered bodice and the pale blue long sleeves. Loki suggested she beg a finer dress of Queen Frigga but she refused. She did not want to put on airs, promising him she would purchase bolts of cloth and make a grander gown soon enough. She hiked Cait up on her hip and dropped a hand to brush Fen's hair.  
“Soon my little prince, soon this will be over and you may relax.” She looked down at him. He had been given the leather breeches, the undergarment, vest and long cloak mirroring Loki's court dress right down to the necklace dangling low on his chest, Mjolnir glittering in the firelight. “You look so handsome.”  
“Indeed he does, is he not my son?” Loki was striding up to them from the far end of the corridor.  
“Be careful of pride, my love,” Eidra chided with a smile though she heartily agreed with him.   
“Thor is on his way into the throne room, are you ready?” he kissed her temple, breathing in the intoxicating scent of rosewater and sandalwood.  
“I must be, there is no other option.”  
His arm slipped about her waist for a squeeze,“Why do you not give Cait to me, you look nigh well uncomfortable.”  
Eidra shook her head, “No, you must lead in. I shall be fine,” She gazed at her belly, “Do you know what Helgi said to me? She said I looked to be carrying twins. I am showing much too early.”  
Loki's head whipped around, “Twins? Odin's beard, could it be?”  
Eidra shrugged, “One supposes so.”  
“We seem to have made the move to a larger house at the right time, it would seem.”  
The sounds in the throne room died down as the herald announced the arrival of the king to which the crowd responded with a resounding, “Hail King Thor!”  
Fen rushed forward to peer through the curtains before he was pulled back by Loki.  
“Little imp, stay you still.”  
The resounding clang of Gungnir striking the marble floor made Loki pull himself straight, putting a gentle hand at Fen's back, “My son. It is time.”  
The curtains parted and the crowd fell silent, the herald crying out.  
“His Majesty, Prince Loki!”   
The crowd, Aesir and High Council alike, bowed low as Loki stepped from the curtains. He could see Thor standing before the throne, Hlidskialf, smiling broadly as Loki advanced. Sif stood stone faced at Thor's side, the Queen mother, Frigga, behind him. With Fen at her side, Eidra followed, keeping her gaze downcast, afraid to look up at the many faces following her down the aisle. So intent was she upon her steps that she nearly ran into Loki knelt down on one knee at the bottom of the stairs leading to the throne, “Your Majesty.”  
“Rise, Brother,” Thor thundered, “And approach the throne.”  
Loki climbed the steps to stand before him. Thor planted his right hand upon Loki's left shoulder, turning him to the court.  
“Let it be known to all present that my brother, Loki, prince of Asgard, is hereby and henceforth, my royal advisor, privvy to all due rights and titles therein.” Thor motioned to a young boy who had been standing beside him, holding a green velvet pillow upon which sat a gold circlet in the shape of two snakes hold each other tail to tail. Their eyes glittering emeralds flashed in the torchlight as Thor lifted the circlet from the pillow and held it over Loki's bare head. “Furthermore, let it be known that the title of Prince of the Realm is hereby restored to my brother with all due respect and privileges given him as a member of the royal family.”  
Eidra watched Thor set the circlet upon Loki's raven hair whereupon he winked at her and she smiled. The crowd bowed as one to Loki who turned to Thor, “My gracious King, I call upon you to recognize my wife.”  
Eidra's feet seemed stuck to the floor even as she saw Loki's hand outstretched towards her, felt Cait leaning toward her father, her arms open. It took Fen to tug at her hand, moving her up the steps until she was standing beside Loki who held out his arms, taking Cait from her. Thor gestured for her to approach him and all at once she was back in Loki's room cowering as he came at her, roaring in anger. She felt her legs start to bow, dug her fingernails into her palm as she extended her other hand out and he took it, turning her to face the crowd as he had Loki.  
“The Throne of Asgard recognizes Eidra Denari of the House Denari in the kingdom of Alfheim.”  
A man of medium height and heavy import, walked up the steps to stand before her, opened a tome balanced against his arm, and held his right hand in the air.   
“Eidra Denari, do you swear to be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty, King Thor, his heirs and successors according to the laws of the realm of Asgard?”  
She sought to keep the tremor from her words, responding as Loki had instructed her. “I do swear.”  
“Do you swear to uphold the laws faithfully? To fulfill your duties and obligations as a member of the House of Odin as prescribed by the laws of marriage?”  
“I do swear.”  
“Eidra Denari...,” Thor's voice rumbled in her ear and she turned to him,“I recognize....,” He touched his thumb to her shoulder which she had bared. An image of two snakes intertwined in brilliant green appeared on her skin, quickly fading away, “.....And mark you as a citizen of the kingdom of Asgard. You will by reason of marriage, be henceforth addressed as Eidra, Princess of the Realm with all due rights and respect afforded the title.”  
He gently turned her to face the crowd again and she felt a circlet placed upon her head, matching the one Loki was wearing. She smiled as Cait squealed her approval.The room bowed to her as one and she moved to stand at Loki's side as Thor began to recognize Fen and Cait, affording her the opportunity to look about her albeit discretely.   
She studied Loki's profile as he held Cait up to Thor, struck by how proud he looked, how like the prince she had first met so many seasons ago, age only enhancing, defining his handsome features. Fen, standing before Thor solemnly like she had bidden him to do, bringing honor to his father who was holding him by his shoulder.  
Her eyes scanned the crowd, sliding back to Loki, to Thor and finally beyond them to Sif, who was staring hard at her. Eidra's first reaction was to lower her gaze but at the next moment, she was reminded of who she now was. She held Sif's stare until another loud clang filled the room and all eyes fell to Thor.  
“We will now retire to the Great Hall for a celebratory feast.”  
A cry of “Hail King Thor!” rose up from the crowd as Thor started down the steps, Sif on his arm, Loki following behind with Eidra and the children at her side. She kept wanting to lower her eyes but every time she did so, Loki would tug at her hand and she would look up, straight ahead until they were behind the receiving curtain. Helgi was waiting there and she held out her hands to Cait.  
“Oh look at the little crown on her sweet head.”  
As if she understood what Helgi had said, Cait reached up squeaking in frustration as she tried to raise the little gold band, not quite being able to grasp it.  
“She is tired, the poor dear.” Eidra brushed her hair back from her face.   
They emerged through the red drapes where the Aesir waited, milling about to be led into the Great Hall, following Thor en mass as he strode through the throng.

Eidra caught Fen with his circlet in his hands once again, staring into the green emerald eyes of one snake.  
“Fen, I shall take it from you if you do not leave it upon your head.”   
“But Mama, how can I look at it?”  
“You may look at it later.” Eidra reached for the circlet, setting it back upon his head again. Frigga, who had seated herself beside him, smoothed his hair down, “You must behave like a prince now. You have an example to set.”  
Eidra nodded, “And there is no better time to start.”  
Fen gave an exaggerated sigh, “I thought being a prince was fun.”  
Frigga exchanged a glance and a smile with Eidra as she pulled a petulant Fen to her, “You must be serious sometimes. No one may have fun all the time.”  
Cait, sitting on Helgi's lap, yawned, burying her face in Helgi's bosom.  
“Ah the little princess is fading fast.”  
Eidra nodded, looking at Fen whose eyelids also had started to droop.  
“Helgi,” Frigga gazed down at Fen, “Would you see the children to the nursery? They may sleep there until the gathering has ended.”  
“Yes, your Highness,” Helgi rose from her chair, curtseying but when she made to guide Fen from the table, he leaned over the arm of Eidra's chair and wrapped his arms about her neck..  
“I wish to stay with Mama.”   
“Fen.”   
He looked over his shoulder at Loki who now stood behind him, “Yes, Papa.”  
“Bid your mother and grandmother goodnight and go with Helgi as you were told.”  
Fen scowled though he scooted further into the chair, kissed Eidra's cheek, “Night, Mama.”  
“Good night, my little prince,” she whispered.  
“Good night grandmother,” he bowed deeply to Frigga who instead gathered him up in her arms and hugged him, “Good night, my child.”  
As Fen was led away, Eidra turned to Loki, “Should I go with them?”  
Loki shook his head, his hand on her shoulder, “No, let them go, they have had enough excitement this day.”  
Frigga took her hand, patting it, “My darling, come with me. There are people here you should meet.”  
Loki let Eidra's shoulder slip from beneath his hand, smiling as she stared at him wide eyed until they were swallowed up by the crowd.

Loki let himself wander, talking from time to time with people he knew, nursing his chalice of mulled wine. When he chanced to reach the edge of the crowd and glanced between the tall pillars at the night sky outside, a flash of silver off to his right caught his eye. Thor was standing at the railing overlooking the inner courtyard. He walked between the braziers, feeling the chill night air close in about him as he made his way to where his brother stood. Thor smiled and held up his chalice though he seemed sad.  
“All hail the Prince Regent,” Thor toasted him.  
“All hail the King,” Loki murmured, taking a swallow of wine. They looked out across the courtyard to the city beyond, further then to the Bifrost, glittering like hard diamond, mist rising from below to shroud the massive gates at its end.  
“The ceremony went well.”  
Loki watched the crowd milling about beyond the pillars. Every so often he would catch a glimpse of Eidra talking with someone, whispering to Frigga, moving to another group of people.  
“She did you proud,” Thor nodded.  
Loki bowed his head, “Thank you, brother.”  
“It is I who should thank you. I do not know that you ken the import of this ceremony.”  
Loki saw Eidra give her hand to an old white haired gentleman in glided robes who leaned over and kissed it, “I ken the ceremony as ever I have. What do you mean?”  
“There....,” Thor pointed into the room, Loki following his finger until the end where Sif stood apart from the crowd, talking to a few people, looking up every few minutes to glare in Eidra's direction, “.....stands my wife who has not visited my bed since well before I sent Magnus away. I will not have a bastard on the throne of Asgard, though the boy be recognized as my son. If we do not couple, we cannot produce an heir. Thus the succession of the line falls to you, brother, and then to your son Fen.”  
Loki took another gulp of mulled wine, hiding his expression of surprise, “But we both know I am of Jotunn birth. There are many in the kingdom whom I doubt would suffer my progeny to sit on the throne.”  
Thor grabbed him by the arm roughly and Loki knew the King was well in his cups.  
“You are a son of Odin as it is so written in the Hall of Records and therefore your right to the throne is legitimate!”  
“It was not always so,” Loki answered softly.  
“You were as rash and impetuous as I. When you sought the throne, your mind had gone, your soul buried beneath crushing grief. You have returned as the brother I once knew.”  
Loki was a momentary loss for words at Thor's acknowledgment of the ordeal he'd been forced to suffer through, studying the glint of gold at the rim of his chalice when Thor threw his arms about him, crushing the air from his lungs.  
“Nothing can come between a family united.”  
Loki gingerly returned the hug, hoping Thor would release his grip before he lost consciousness.  
“Father has told me he can travel to Valhalla with a full heart now that his sons are of one mind again,” Thor rasped, holding him out at arms length.  
Loki watched Sif's eyes follow Eidra around the room, “Indeed we are.”

The sound of the runners hissed against the snow packed road, accompanied by the jingle of the harnesses. In the rear of the wagon bundled and dozing, sat Helgi, Cait and Fen. Eidra had insisted on riding on the seat beside Loki as they returned home late that evening. Wrapping herself around his arm, she laid her head on his shoulder, talking quietly as they rode on, by the swaying light of the lantern above Lightning's head.  
“I felt honored to have been shown about court by the queen. I suspect Sif was not of the same opinion.”  
Loki chuckled, “I did not think you noticed her scrutiny.”  
“How could I miss it. At every turn, she was staring at me with the coldest eyes I have yet looked upon. Tell me you will make sure Fen is at your side when he is at the palace with you.”  
“I cannot always keep him by me, dearest, when I have duties I must perform but I promise I will entrust his care to Silas or my mother. Even Thor may keep watch on him.”  
He kept to himself what Thor had said lest she begin to panic.  
“Are you sure you may trust your brother?”  
“I am.”  
He felt her hand steal beneath the warmth of his cloak, up his thigh to slip behind the waistband of his leather breeches where she took him in hand, giving him a light squeeze. He chuckled, sat up a bit straighter as he slid his hand atop hers.  
“I am glad to have my prince home tonight.”  
“And I shall be glad to be home with my princess.”

 

Leroy watched her out of her room into the hallway where David stood in the hall, fidgeting nervously with his coat, the lapels of his suit, buttons, anything to focus his attention away from the young woman now standing before him zipping up the brown jacket he had given her to put on.   
“Well Doc, shall we go?”  
David looked at her as if he'd never seen her before then cleared his throat, “Follow me.”  
As they traversed the hall, Jesse poked him in the back, earning a warning grunt from Leroy following along behind her.  
“Can we get something to eat while we're out? I'd like a change from the crap they serve here.”   
“If you behave.”  
“Oh you know I will. I don't know what you're worried about.,” Jesse trotted forward, locking her arm into the crook of David's elbow but he shrugged her off.  
“Jesus, what's the matter with you? I don't bite. At least not today.”  
“Mister Wells, you want I should secure her?” Leroy leaned over her shoulder with a scowl, backing away just in time for her elbow to swing back into thin air.  
“No,” David muttered as he waited for the buzzer, “She's not hurting anyone.”  
David nodded to Leon as they walked out into the waiting area where Jesse ran to the elevator to press the call button. David looked over at Leroy whose frown had deepened.   
When David had told Egan he was bringing Jesse for her annual check-up, Robert had asked why one of the nurses couldn't accompany her.   
“You don't think this is irregular in the slightest? The director bringing a patient to an appointment?”  
“Can you see her with one of the nurses? I'm the only one she'll listen to at all. Leroy will be accompanying me for security.”  
“This is going to get out of control one day,” Robert had warned him once more but David remained adamant he was doing the right thing. As they headed through the hospital foyer, he wondered if he should warn Chase he was coming but decided against it. There would be the inevitable questions he didn't want to answer over the phone. He still didn't know how he was going to get Chase's girlfriend to agree to help Jesse. Maybe she would simply feel sorry for Jesse in the first place and offer to help. His head was starting to ache as the front doors slid open with a melodic ding. The black Escalade sat idling under the car port, Harry standing beside the open back door. Jesse squealed excitedly when she spied the SUV.  
“Doc, you've been holding out on me. Why don't you ever take me anywhere? And don't tell me you don't have the money. I mean look at this ride.”  
Leroy crossed his arms as Jesse climbed into the back to bounce up and down on the leather seats. Harry waited until David had climbed in after her and closed the door. As he headed around to the driver's side, he looked at Leroy and shook his head. Leroy responded with a smirk as he climbed into the front passenger seat and they were off.  
Jesse wouldn't sit still. David tried to interest her in his tablet but she wasn't interested. He had then turned on the TV in the back seat, another failure.  
“Jesus, Dave. I watch tv all day on an antiquated set, by the way. You want to amuse me? Install a wet bar in this bitch.”   
She was more concerned with the cars and trucks whizzing by them on the highway, staring out the windows, making faces at the people who chanced to glance over at the Escalade as they passed.  
“Can they see us in here or is this privacy glass. It looks like privacy glass,” She leaned forward to knock on Harry's headrest, “Hey, can't you go any faster? Feels like we're sitting still!”   
“Jesse, will you please settle down.” David tried to hand her the tablet again as she kept turning around, looking out the windows, fiddling with the armrest, taking her hair out of her ponytail and redoing it, “Look, you can draw on the screen with your finger.”  
It kept her amused for all of two minutes until she set it down on the seat to stare once more out the windows at the cars on the highway, “I gotta take a piss.”  
“You'll have to hold it,” David sighed watching the sign reading “Salem Center-20” fly by his window on the right.  
“I can't.”  
“Well try.”  
She crossed her legs, “Nope, can't.”  
“We don't have much farther to go.”  
“I'll tell you what,” she reached over to pat his knee, “This tank keeps going and I piss myself all over these nice leather seats okay?” leaning over, she whispered in his ear, “I'll just explain to everyone that being pregnant gives you a weak bladder. Ready?”  
“No!” David sat up, holding his hand out,, “Jesus, Harry will you get off at the next exit. She has to use the bathroom.”  
David glowered at Jesse but she only gave him a wide grin, turning her attention to the window again.

The gas station they pulled into was situated just off the highway, so close that even in the dinky little bathroom on the outside of the building, she could hear the trucks and cars zooming past like they were on top of her. She sat there on the freezing cold toilet wracking her brains. How could she get the hell away from them? Where could she go? The loud blare of a horn from a semi rolling past made her jump and then it came to her. She quickly wiped herself, her hands shaking so with excitement that she could barely tie the strings of her lounge pants. She washed her hands with quick jerky movements, drying them on the rough paper towels she ripped from the dispenser and flung open the bathroom door. She glanced to her right at Leroy who was standing beside her, saw David waiting by the car, tapping something out on his tablet, heard the cars and trucks roaring by on the highway, deafening now. To her left was a long snow covered slope up to the guard rails, a meager safety net for any car spinning out of control on the road, a straight shot into the multiple pumps. She stepped off the curb that surrounded the tiny gas station, took maybe three steps and veered sharply to her left on a dead run hearing Leroy mutter, “What the fuck?” then yell, “Jesse, stop!”  
She reached the snowy slope, throwing herself up the snowbank, scrambling for purchase in the deep snow, heard fast footfalls behind her, a thump and a crack. She looked over her shoulder to see Leroy picking himself up off the pavement where he'd fallen on the ice. Then David was shouting at her to stop, calling her name and she almost listened.   
Over half her life had been controlled by the man now running towards her across the parking lot and it was hard to break old habits, not to turn and trudge down the slope, get into the SUV, continue on to the doctors where he would find she'd been bullshitting him all this time. The honk of a horn along the highway above her brought reality screaming back and she redoubled her effort to scale the slope with renewed energy. She could hear Leroy puffing behind her, she was getting tired too. There was little chance for serious exercise in a ten by twelve cell. Her right sneaker came free of her foot, her bare skin stinging with the snow but still she kept on, oblivious to the shouts behind her, only wanting to reach the highway, flag a car down and jump in. If necessary, she would keep running until she reached the other side or gave out from exhaustion.  
Her hand slapped the metal of the guard rail, sticking momentarily as her wet hand met the frozen metal. She hauled herself out of the snow bank, flopping over the rail to land on the asphalt, looked up to see Leroy's hand grip the guard rail at the same spot and it spurred her legs to lift her up from the pavement. She shot forward onto the highway. A truck swerved, blaring it's horn at her as she ran into the slow lane waving her hands for someone to stop. Another shout, “JESSE!” this time it was David. If she had looked over her left shoulder she would have seen where her feet were carrying her but she chose to look to her right away from the oncoming traffic.   
The truck that had swerved to miss her blocked from view a large semi in the second lane traveling at about sixty-seven miles per hour. The driver, who'd taken his attention off the road for a fraction of a second for another sip of coffee from his travel mug felt the dull thud vibrate through the cab.   
“Oh fuck me!”   
He dropped the mug into the empty passenger seat, slamming his foot down on the brakes, his load fishtailing a bit but holding its place behind him, his eyes following the trajectory of the body as it flew far down the highway before him. He heard the screech of brakes, felt another dull thud as a car hit his trailer. In his rear view mirror he could see the glass and metal flying, then another bang as a truck swerved into the median to avoid him and struck the jersey barriers. Then his eyes returned to the body lying, lifeless on the wet pavement. A large muscled man who had run out onto the road, a cell phone in his hand was now kneeling by the body.   
The truck driver's hands were frozen to the steering wheel. In the pull off lane, he could see a tall man on his hands and knees on the rumble strip his face red, mouth open in a scream the driver would have doubtless been able to hear had the horn of the truck that hit the guard rail not been stuck in an endless klaxon shriek.   
Around him, cars had slowed to a stop, his trailer and the other two cars who'd crashed, effectively blocking all three lanes of the highway. Some people had pulled over and were running to where the large man now stood shouting into his cell phone. One man slowed as he reached the scene, turned and ran to the other side of the highway to vomit into the snow. In the distance, as the driver slowly uncurled his fingers from the wheel, he could hear sirens. Screw sixty-five, he thought as he pushed open the door of the cab, preparing to get out and survey the damage. He was handing in his papers for early retirement tomorrow morning.


	57. 57

The wire hanger twisted into the shape of a heart sat on the floor in front of her, temporarily forgotten, along with the roll of red crepe paper beside her. Ever since the incident at the bowling alley two weeks prior, she had been doing some serious thinking. She tried to concentrate, to duplicate the speed with which she had injured the blond man with the foul mouth at the bowling alley.   
At first she'd returned to her faithful old pencil yet again, breaking and re-healing it, timing herself, but a body was considerably more complex than a pencil. What she gained in speed, she lost in accuracy, a crucial point when one was trying to heal a serious injury. Her frustration grew exponentially with her failure. She had been able to race through the man's body in milliseconds, finding the one spot that would be the most damaging, yet now, holding a torn piece of red crepe in her hand, she couldn't make the ends come together in under thirty seconds. What was the secret? What had been different?  
“Hey girl, you done playing wit' that paper? We gots more a these to wrap,” Brian set another heart down on the pile in the middle of the floor.   
“Oh hush, this is the fourth one you've done in an hour, you have lots of room to talk,” Sophie shoved him, nearly toppling him over to his side.  
“I am sorry. I was trying....something....ahhh!” she threw the paper strips on the floor before her, “Damn!”  
“You practicing again, huh? Next time someone want to mess with you, they gonna be sorry.” Brian picked up another wire frame.  
“That is just it, I cannot duplicate what I did the night at the bowling alley. Not with any speed. They...may be sorry but they shall certainly have time to prepare for it.”  
Chase walked into the rec room, his arms filled with drinks, “I hope I got what everyone asked for.”  
He glanced up at the tv as he handed the orange juice to Brenna “Why do you guys even bother having it on?”  
Chase grabbed the remote, turning up the sound. The local news was just starting and the woman in the red blazer and white blouse was talking about a burst of freezing rain towards morning.  
“Well ain't we all lucky,” Brian groused, sticking his tongue out at the screen, “If they cancel school, we won't miss it. We already here.”  
Chase put the remote on the floor, sitting down beside Brenna who had started to wrap the red crepe around the wire frame again. A couple of the younger students were sitting on the couches, leaning over the low coffee table writing words on little pieces of paper and dropping them into a large fish bowl.   
“What's wrong?” Chase asked, noting the look of petulance on Brenna's face.  
“I do not know what I am doing wrong?” Brenna tossed the finished heart into the pile, “Chase what is different? What did I do at the alley that I cannot do here?”  
Chase looked at the torn piece of crepe paper in her lap.   
“I don't know babe. Sometimes our talents need a little push in the right direction, something to enhance them...like Conroy,” He crooked a thumb at one of the young boys sitting on the couch, “he can take on the properties of the elements...ya know, water, earth, fire....but he's got to touch them, absorb their structure. That's his catalyst, ya see?” Chase looked up at the TV screen where they were talking about an Amber alert on a little girl, “But this isn't the place to practice anyway. Too much going on, making decorations for the dance tomorrow night, the TV is on. That translates into zero concentration. You have to try it someplace quiet.”  
The TV again caught his attention, this time holding it. The newscaster, a nondescript man looked gravely into the camera as he read from the teleprompter before him, “And the northbound lane of I-six-eighty-four remains closed at this hour as police attempt to reconstruct what happened earlier this morning when a young woman was struck and killed by a delivery truck just off exit one-sixteen. Our Mina Kingsley is on the scene”  
“Man what a way to go.” Brian muttered while the camera switched to a blond in a blue parka.   
“Thanks Dale. The reason for her actions are still under investigation but tonight a young woman was struck and killed after she ran across the northbound lane of traffic into the path of a northbound semi truck. The driver of the semi who was momentarily distracted, could not avoid hitting her as she attempted to reach the other side of the highway. The woman who was pronounced dead at the scene has been identified as twenty-three year old Jessica North, a resident of the Forest Hills Psychiatric hospital outside of Tarrytown, New York...”  
Chase's mouth fell open, “Shit, That's my dad's hospital!”  
The woman on screen continued, silhouetted by flashing red and blue lights, “She was reportedly being transferred to a doctor's appointment by a security guard and the Director of Forest Hills, Doctor David Wells when they stopped briefly at a gas station along the way. She apparently managed to get away from them, climb up this hill,” she pointed to a long snowy slope to her left, the camera switching briefly to the view of the gas station below, “and hop the guard rail, running into traffic before anyone could stop her. The northbound lanes have been shut down since about nine this morning with traffic being rerouted but the police expect to have the lanes opened within the hour, I'm Mina Kingsley reporting live, back to you, Dale.”  
Brenna turned to say something to Chase but he was gone. She stood up, looking about the room with the others, spotting him standing in the foyer. He was angrily tapping the screen on his cell phone.   
“He's not fucking answering!” Chase roared, banging the phone against his forehead.  
“It is okay. Maybe he is busy with the police..,” Brenna took his arm but Chase glared at her.  
“What I wanna know is why was he transporting this girl in the first place. When I went to the New Year's party, my dad was talking to some old guy named Eric. He mentioned this girl, suggested my dad not spend anymore time and money on her. I was thinking maybe my dad had a new girlfriend but now I'm wondering if he meant this Jessica chick,” Chase stared at the phone, “And he won't answer his goddamn phone so I can ask him!”  
“Bro, calm yo'self. Come back, sit down, take a couple breaths. I'm sure they's a good explanation for what's going on. Give him time, he'll call,” Brian steered him back into the recreation room to one of the couches.  
Brenna set her hands on his shoulders as she leaned over the back of the couch but he kept his eyes on the phone in his other hand. He had to find out what was going on.

 

David sat in the back of the ambulance watching a light snow start to fall. The paramedics had been insisting he go to the hospital to be treated for shock but he firmly refused. When the news crews started to arrive, he was grateful for the closed ambulance doors. He wanted to smash their cameras, spit in their faces. He kept playing the accident over and over in his mind, searching for ways he could have prevented it from happening.  
Maybe he should have let her piss her pants, paid the cleaning bill, stopped at a department store instead of a gas station. He should have realized she was clearly excited about something when she couldn't sit still in the SUV. She must have been planning the escape all along. He wondered if she'd even lied about the pregnancy; she probably had.   
The cops had asked him so many questions, repeating them more than a few times. Leroy was still outside. Talking to another officer. When David had risen from the pavement to run to her, Leroy had been the one to stop him, finally to bodily lift him off his feet, forcing him further down the road away from her, yelling, “She's gone, she's dead. You don't want to see her, trust me.”  
But he had seen her, if only from a distance, covered in blood, her limbs splayed in opposite directions, hair laid out in a fan, her head at an unnatural angle from her body. It was this image which now haunted him as he cursed himself. He should have tried to bring Jesse to Brenna the day Chase had told him about her. He could have invited them to the mansion for the day. He could have used his influence, convinced the head mistress of the school to allow Brenna to travel an hour away from the school.   
The ambulance doors opened and a paramedic stuck his head inside. “The police want to speak with you one more time before we release you.”  
David sighed, stood up from the gurney, straightened his tie and stepped out into the chill evening air.

 

When hefinally returned to the hospital at about six that evening, three members of the board were sitting in the reception area, talking in low tones. They stood when they saw him and he ushered them quietly into the elevator. Once in his office, they reprimanded him for the better part of an hour about taking a patient in his own personal vehicle with only a security guard for assistance. They told him a doctor should have been called in to the hospital to do the exam, they had the facilities for such appointments. He made a weak claim that he had been trying to save the hospital money, explaining that it cost much more to have the physicians come to the hospital, a fact the board members had grudgingly allowed even as they chided him for being careless about transporting a mentally unstable patient.  
They'd finally left him with a warning. The board was going to meet to discuss some form a discipline. A suspension of privileges, probation. David had half-jokingly expressed relief that they hadn't come to ask for his resignation. To his horror, they had shaken their heads in unison, stating that they doubted it would come to such a serious ending.  
When they had filed out of his office into the elevator and he was left in silence, he let his grief, his anger pour forth, roaring his anguish to the rafters, the roof, the black sky beyond. As he lay back in his chair looking up at the ceiling, his cell phone beeped. He pulled it out of his pocket, read the number. It was Annie. How the hell did she get her news so quickly?  
He groaned as he dialed the number, listening to the message played out in his ear. “David, I heard the news. A friend called me.”  
Probably that bitch Kim in New York, they'd been best friends since grade school and she had the biggest mouth when it came to gossip. David often wondered why Annie ever told her anything, “What the hell is going on up there. Are you insane? If you're not careful, this is going to ruin your career. Stop being such a fuck-up. You have to set a good example for Chase. Call me.”  
A good example, she was admonishing him? She had not one iota of room to talk. He was the one setting a good example, he was a very successful businessman...   
He sat up, banging his fist on his desk. He had to make a bigger mark, show the world his work, this loss, hadn't been for naught. He would make sure no one else had to suffer like this again, not in his hospital. He would cure each and every patient in the facility and as his mind snapped, crossing the line to insanity, he produced his final noble thought as he picked up the phone and started to dial.  
“This is all for you Jesse, all for you,” he stood from his chair and began to pace, stopping as the phone was answered.   
“Darryl, David Wells.......fine, fine......listen I need you to work some of your magic, I need access to a private file.............at a school in Westchester county.........name? Brenna....the last name is strange, Lokadottir........d-o-t-t-i-r is how Chase spelled it.........how long?.........send it to my email......I'll wire the money to you as usual......”  
He hung up the phone, sat down at his desk before his laptop, staring at the screen. Such a strange last name, Chase had called it Norwegian or Scandinavian. He sat forward, typing it into the search bar then hit enter. The results popped up, talking of surnames. One such entry advised that if a name ended in an I it would change to A. The source was titled Viking surnames and furthermore it stated that the translations were literal...dottir was essentially daughter. Lokadottir? Loki daughter?  
His son was a mutant, his wife too, as were many of his friends and acquaintances and so nothing should have been able to shock him but there it was. He leaned back in the chair, laughing to himself.   
“You idiot.”   
There was a boy he'd gone to school with whose well meaning but ignorant parents had named George, an unfortunate pairing with his last name Washington. It mean that he was George Washington no more than it meant that Chase's pretty girlfriend was the daughter of a legendary Norse god. He opened his email program, sat back and waited for his friendly hacker Darryl to get back to him.

 

Fen was in his glory. He hefted the bow in his hand, reveling in the balanced weight, the feel of the tight leather wrapping around the grip. The day had started out overcast, cold as they'd ridden to Asgard. The snow cover had gained the consistency of wet mush, bare patches of dead grass growing larger each day, all signs that spring was on its way. Now, he stood between two of the most important men in his life facing three hay stuffed targets set on stands in the middle of a bare field. Two sat much further back to the tree line. The target in the middle had been placed closer, put there for him.   
He had been awakened this morning before even the sun was up, by his father who had held out to him a new bow and quiver of arrows, the leather quiver finely tooled with stags and rabbits cavorting about. He bade Fen dress to travel to the palace with him.  
Fen had never dressed so swiftly as he did then while the bow sat waiting for him on his bed.   
When he reached the foyer, mother had been standing there, her bedcoat pulled tight around her, arms crossed, whispering to his father. The night before, he had hidden in the shadows on the balcony, listening to them arguing in the reception room as they stood before the fireplace.  
His mother had begged his father to wait a bit longer before bringing him to Asgard, confusing Fen. After all, they'd been to the palace a number of times before, what was so different? His father had said to wait would only put him further behind in his studies, his mother countering with how worried she was about having Fen at the palace under the hateful gaze of that woman. From the way she spat the last word it was obvious to Fen who she'd meant. Though he was nearly eight seasons, he possessed a strong intuition. The white haired woman on Midgard had called him precocious. When he'd looked strangely at her, she'd laughed, “Let's just say you're wise beyond your years.”  
Each time Fen visited the palace, the queen's gaze would follow him everywhere. Fen knew animosity when he saw it though he called it something far simpler. He was relatively sure the Queen hated him. He did not know why. Nevertheless, his mother must have noticed as well for it was this fact she latched onto though he suspected there was much more to it. He would have been privvy to the whole conversation had his father's valet, Hal, not found him stretched out on the landing rug, face peering through the railing spindles into the foyer below.  
“For shame, Master Fenris,” he'd whispered standing above him. Fen had jumped up, barely holding in the squeal perched upon his lips, “Eavesdropping. Most unbecoming for a young prince.”  
Hal had herded him to bed. The next morning, however, what had been wrong between his mother and father seemed to have been made right as his father stood before his mother, a hand to her cheek, speaking softly to her. Before they left, his mother knelt to him, making him promise to stay with Papa all day, not to wander unattended. He quickly agreed, anything to hurry them from the manor on their trip to the palace. 

The creak of a bowstring caught his attention. His uncle was drawing, taking aim at his target. Earlier, they'd had a rousing laugh as the King stood the bow beside Fen. remarking that the bow had three inches on him. It was the reason Fen now stood in awe watching the muscles tense in the King's arms though he drew the string with ease, his stance perfect. The arrow flew with deadly accuracy, hitting inside the circle at the center of the farthest target to the right.  
“Come Fen, it is your turn again.”  
The King stepped back, allowing him the room to draw. Fen's mouth felt dry. He could feel the eyes of both men upon him as his father reminded him to correct his stance, keep his elbow high. He notched the arrow into the string, drew back, sighted down the arrow, feeling the burn in his shoulder and let fly.  
The arrow hit the bottom of the third ring out and he knew he'd sighted too low. He would have to aim higher next time.  
“Not bad. He will improve, perhaps enough to join us on the annual hunt this autumn,” Thor clapped Fen on the back as Fen turned to his father, excited, breathless.  
“Papa, might I?” He had only been allowed to hunt small game with his father on their land and this not very often. His mother fought tooth and nail each time to keep him home until she felt he was of suitable age. Even though he would bring his old bow, he was frequently left to observe, to learn, a victim of boredom as he fidgeted without much to do while his father watched for stags.  
“Thor do not tease the boy,” his father shook his head, “You are too young yet to hunt large game with the men.”   
Thor reached over to his father with the tip of his bow, prodding him playfully, “Your son may prove to outshoot you one day, Brother. Take aim.”  
His father was clearly irritated, unsure of himself as he raised the bow but dropped it again to his side.  
“This is foolishness. I can no longer draw. I have told you.”   
He was about to set the bow on the ground and take up the crossbow at his feet when Thor put his hand around Loki's at the grip, “Let us see how far your reach extends before judgment is passed.”  
Loki frowned, raising the bow once again, the strain showing in his face, then his body as his arm began to shake until he eased the string back with a hiss. He'd barely managed two-thirds to where the string should have been.  
“I told you, it hurts so to draw, it saps my strength. Because of the injury I received in the battle with the Dokkalfari, I have only been able to shoot the crossbow ever since.”  
Thor patted him on the chest, moving his tunic to one side to look at the old scar crossing his chest where the elven blade had bitten deep, taking arm, extending it to the side until Loki grimaced, “Enough!”  
“It did not heal well, that is your trouble. The blade cut deep through tendon, sinew. Perhaps,” he studied the scar, then Loki's outstretched arm, “Clotho should reopen the wound, clean it. Try to repair the damage.”  
Loki yanked his hand from Thor's grip, “Perhaps you should be more appreciative of my skill with the crossbow.”  
In one fluid motion, he bent down, lifted the crossbow, took aim and pulled the trigger hitting a fraction to the right of the center on his target   
“Ah but how fast can you reload it? Shall we have a contest?”  
His father shook his head, “We both know the bow is faster. I do not contend that fact, I simply say it is my only option. Go ahead Fen, try again, aim a bit higher this time.”  
Fen took aim as his father and uncle continued on.  
“What of your sword? How would you do battle with such limitations?”  
Fen drew back.  
“Save for a bit of sparring on Midgard, I have not drawn my sword, nor have I needed to in many seasons.”  
Fen sighted along the arrow, felt his father's hand on his shoulder, “A bit higher, boy. There.”  
He took a deep breath, held it and released the arrow, smiling when it hit the second ring outward. He turned, seeking approval from his father but they had turned away to scan the tall ridge at their backs. It was then that he felt the thunder of hoof beats on the frozen ground, spying a royal guardsman on a brown horse top the rise to come charging towards them.  
Just when Fen thought for sure the horse wasn't going to stop, the guardsman reined in, dropping from the saddle to one knee before the King, “Your majesty! A courier has arrived from Muspelheim. He requests to speak with you immediately!”  
Thor was upon his horse before the guardsman could rise from the ground. Fen was lifted into the air to sit at the front of Lightning's saddle, his father mounting behind him. Lightning's muscles quivered beneath his legs as they flew towards the city at a full gallop.  
“What is wrong Papa?” Fen shouted back to him.  
“I do not know. Hold tightly.”  
The wind pulled at Fen's bow, draped across his chest, lending an urgency to the ride though Fen quite enjoyed it. When they reached the south courtyard and dismounted, the courier, a pale pock faced young man who had been waiting on the palace steps, approached his uncle and bowed deeply, handing the King a packet.   
“Your Majesty, negotiations between Alfheim and Muspelheim have broken down. The Jotunn conducted a raid two evenings past, killing a contingency of Alfari ambassadors, some of them members of the High Court. In our retaliation, we lost a few of our finest warriors. The Captain of the Guard is numbered among the dead.”  
Thor gripped the young man by the arm, “Magnus is dead? Saw you this with your own eyes?”  
“Yes, y..your Majesty!” The young man stammered, “The packet contains the names of the dead on our..... side. Reinforcements have been requested.”  
Loki took the packet, untied it and drew out the first sheaf of paper, his lips moving soundlessly, blanching as he handed the paper back to Thor.  
“The third name from the top...,” Loki murmured.  
“Eidra's...” But Thor's words were cut short by a quick shake of Loki's head.  
Thor clenched the paper tightly in one fist, “We must hasten to their aid before the Jotunn gain a foothold. Our response must be swift.”  
Thor turned to the guardsman who had come to the field to fetch them, “I want preparations made to set out by dawn. Alert the men. I will speak with the High Council.”  
Thor strode up the steps and into the palace, Loki fast behind keeping Fen at a trot.  
“Brother, you will stay and keep the kingdom for me.”  
Loki's pace slowed, “No, I shall accompany you.”  
Thor glanced over his shoulder at him, “I need a level head here.”  
“A level head I may possess but the Aesir still do not trust me. Were I to stay while you went to battle, they would see me as a coward, waiting to claim the throne. Let the High Council hold power over the kingdom, let them govern for the time being until we assess the damage. When the Jotunn see our immediate response, they will surely rethink their position and this will come to naught.”   
Thor paused, his face set in anger. They had arrived at the entrance to the throne room where raised voices were heard coming from inside. Thor looked to Fen, “Take him to Mother, let her watch over him. I need your council.”  
Loki bowed and took Fen's hand leading him away from the throne room down the corridors to the royal chambers. “Papa, are you going to ride with the King?”  
His father squeezed his hand, “I may, yes.”  
Fen squeezed back, “I do not want you to.”  
“Nevertheless, I must. All I hold dear resides in Asgard. I will do what I can to repel all enemies from its borders.”  
“But Papa, they are in Alfheim...”  
Fen looked up at his father, waiting for him to respond but his jaw was set, determination a veil across his face.  
They reached his grandparent's bedchambers just as Frigga swung the door open.   
“I was on my way to the throne room. I heard the terrible news.”  
Loki guided Fen towards her, “Please, Mother. Would you watch over Fen. I must join Thor and the High Council.”  
Frigga pulled Fen to her, stroking his jet black hair with her fingers, “Of course, go, my son.”  
“When we have news I will come to you,” Loki replied with a deep bow.  
Fen watched his father smile wanly, break into a run as he headed back the way they had come.  
Frigga hugged Fen to her side, “Why do we not go into the nursery and amuse ourselves while your father tends to business.”  
Fen took his bow from his shoulder, “Might I show you how I shoot my new bow?”  
Frigga patted his head, “You may pretend with it, yes.” She put her hand to his back, “Let us go, leave the men to their talk.”  
He turned once more to glance at his father but he'd already disappeared. Fen sighed, letting himself be led down the hall to the nursery.


	58. 58

Cait's little hands were flailing once again. Eidra smiled, waiting for the inevitable as her fists hit the water, splashing into her face. She sucked in air, paused and squealed, setting her arms in motion again. Eidra tried to tighten her grip so Cait wouldn't slip off her lap into the deeper water of the large copper tub.   
“She is having such fun.” Helgi remarked as she stirred the coals in the brazier to coax more warmth from them. Eidra leaned against the tub's high back and grimaced, the water was starting to cool down.  
“Helgi, I feel positively criminal. This whole house, I mean, a huge tub to bathe in. A water pump in the kitchen, a cistern on the roof for bathing water.” She pointed to the valve in the wall beside the tub. “It makes everything easier. The only thing we still must do is to heat our water.”  
She scrubbed Cait with the wash cloth causing her to shiver.   
“I mentioned to Loki one day that there were things I missed about Midgard, instant hot water, the horseless wagons. Travel is so much faster. And the ovens, no cooking over a fire, hauling the wood....”   
Helgi slowed, listening to Eidra while she laid out towels on the divan beside the brazier  
“Do you know his reply? He waved his hands about the room and said why do you think we have not followed in their footsteps? Because we have watched them, we have seen their so called industrial revolution, how it eradicated the old ways, made people so lazy they cannot imagine life without the horseless wagons, cannot fathom making a garden and growing their own food, pitted brother against brother, caused wars in the scramble to possess more.”  
“Really? And what said you in response?”  
Eidra smiled, “I said but dearest, we have servants, is that not the same principle? They do things for us so that we do not have to.”  
“And what did he say?” Helgi put a hand on her hip.  
“Nothing,” she laughed, “he simply walked away!”  
Cait joined in the laughter though she knew not what was funny.  
Movement outside the window caught Helgi's eye and she peered into the dooryard.  
“Loki and Fen are back.”  
“What? They were not expected until the evening meal. Here, take Cait and get her dried.”   
Eidra struggled into her dress, her damp skin pulling at the fabric while Cait screeched at the indignity of having to submit to clothing once again.  
“I will meet you downstairs,” Helgi muttered as she pulled Cait's indignant fist through the sleeve of her dress, “Go on.”  
As she reached the balcony, she heard the front door slam shut. She leaned over the railing to spy Fen and Loki standing in the foyer as Loki removed his cloak, placing it into Hal's outstretched hand before rushing up the stairs. He caught sight of Eidra and smiled as he made the landing but his eyes betrayed him. He took Eidra's hand but before he could bend to kiss it, she covered his hand with hers.   
“What is wrong?”  
“I kiss the hand of the lady of the house and all at once there must be something amiss?”  
“I see concern written clear upon your face. Do not believe you must forever shield me from worry.”  
Helgi had reached them with Cait who leaned over, reaching for Loki. He took her in his arms, bussed her then quickly handed her back to Helgi where she began to fuss, reaching again for him.  
“Helgi, I must speak with Eidra. Bring Cait to the sitting room.”  
Eidra followed him as he rushed into their bedchamber, closing the door behind them, shutting out Cait's cries echoing from the foyer.   
“Loki, please tell me what is wrong.”  
“There has been a skirmish between the Jotunn of Muspelheim and the Alfari. Asgardian guards were assigned to keep the peace between the two parties but hostilities have escalated.”  
He paused, started to speak, paused again. Over the seasons, the strained relationship with Eidra's family had eased though it was far from perfect. Eldan had visited their cottage a handful of times. At Jul, he would send the children trinkets, he had sent Brenna a beautifully wrought gold bracelet, Fen a slingshot, the handle carved into the shape of a crouching wolf. Still Eldan remained aloof, derisive of Loki's choice to become a farmer. He recalled an argument between them one evening outside by the cow barn. Loki assured Eldan they had everything they needed on the farm. In return, Eldan had remarked that his daughter deserved better whereas Loki had pointed out she had been a servant in his house. Gradually, however, they'd come to a tenuous truce.   
Her brother, however, had been a different story. Danar refused even to acknowledge Loki when they traveled to Alfheim to see him inducted into the High Court. He would not speak, would not look his way. Loki held no love for him in return though it made the telling no easier.  
“A number of Alfari were killed in the initial attack. Your brother is rumored to be among them.”  
“Danar?!” Eidra's hands flew to her mouth, “How? Is it possible the rumor is unfounded?”  
“It is possible though I will not know until I see with mine own eyes,” he moved to the wardrobe, “We ride in the morning to their aid.” He took his heavy leather under armor from its hook draping it over his arm.  
“We?”  
“The King and I. Troops are assembling in Asgard as we speak. We will lead them....”  
“Loki, please do not go!” She rushed forward, clutching at his arm but he gently pushed her back.  
“Consider what you ask of me. I am obliged to follow Thor as he asks. It is my duty.”  
“Fie upon duty! I feared this would come of our moving closer to the palace, that he would call upon you at the slightest disturbance. Let Thor wield his mighty hammer, all will tremble before him. You stay here in his stead,” she pulled at the under armor in his hands but his grip was firm.  
“I will not be branded a coward by staying behind. I must accompany him.”  
He set the armor on the bed, reached into the pouch slung over his shoulder, pulled out a folded letter and handed it to her. She stared at the bright red wax seal, Thor's royal insignia standing out in bold relief.  
“What is this?”  
“Do not break the seal,” he guided her to the wardrobe where he knelt down, reached inside to the bottom, lifting the flocked velvet lining and pressed down. A wide slot popped up. Eidra leaned over his shoulder, staring down into the wardrobe in disbelief.   
“Give me the letter. “  
She placed it gingerly into his open hand. He slid it into the drawer then, shutting the hidden slot with a click, replacing the velvet over the top.  
“A secret drawer...I never would have known..,” She backed away as he stood up.  
“Indeed. Now listen to me. Tell no one of the whereabouts of that letter unless it becomes necessary.”  
She cupped his face in her hands, felt him trembling, “What in the nine realms is in the letter?”  
“It is a proclamation signed by my brother. Should we fail to return, the crown will fall to our son, Fen.”  
He felt the strength ebb from Eidra's legs as he guided her to the bed, sitting her down upon the soft coverlet.   
“Loki, please tell me you lie,” her voice was reedy, choked as she held tight to his tunic.  
“You see the import of the letter. Thor has refused to see a bastard on the throne. Magnus, also, has perished in the skirmish and he fears Sif will renew her efforts to see her son on the throne. ”  
Eidra kept shaking her head until Loki held her firm, “Come to your senses. This will be of little matter I assure you. Once the Jotunn are made to face our army, they will turn tail. Naught will come of this.”  
“Then why draft the letter at all?”  
“Insurance alone. Better to be prepared than caught unaware.”  
“How long will you be gone?” She whispered as he returned to the wardrobe to take the rest of his armor out.  
“I do not suspect long at all. It shall take us a day to get there. I will not promise a day or a time, only that I will be back.”  
Eidra followed him down the stairs to the foyer where Fen waited with Hal and Helgi. He handed his armor to Hal, who seemed to sag beneath the weight, then he leaned over to Fen.  
“Take care of your mother and your sister. I expect you to be the man of the house while I am away.”  
Fen, never one for stoicism, wrapped his arms about Loki's neck, “I will Papa, I will.”  
Loki lifted him up in a great hug, “I know you shall.”  
“Must you leave now, before the evening meal?” Eidra clasped her hands together before her.  
“Soonest begun is soonest done my heart,” He reached around his neck and drew the Uruz over his head, placing it over hers where he pressed it to her chest, “I fear the loss of this treasure. Keep it safe.”  
She made to remove it from her neck, “But what if you have need of it?”  
He caught her up in a kiss that stopped her words, stole her breath, “I will need nothing but my sword and my crossbow. I will return soon.”

For a long time after the door had closed behind him, she sat in the sitting room before the fire. She had rocked Cait to sleep and her heavy warmth soothed Eidra though the pressure on her growing belly was becoming uncomfortable. Fen had been playing with his animals before the evening meal with Gunnar but now that Ingrid had brought him home, Fen was curled up with a blanket and his carved elephant in Loki's chair where he'd drifted off to sleep. Eidra reached over into the chair stroking his dark hair. It had grown a bit since Chris had passed on. She could scarce believe that the man who had seen to it she paid the ultimate price for loving his brother was now ready to set the crown of Asgard upon her son's head. Fen grunted in his sleep, burrowing deeper into the blanket as Eidra stared into the flames.

 

“Jesus, Paul will ya be careful with this goddamn stuff. It costs a fortune and I ain't gonna take it outta my paycheck if it comes up dented.”  
Gary's partner was butter-fingered in the best of situations but when they'd arrived at the nuthouse and the head honcho had informed him the metal sheets he was having them install behind the stainless steel walls cost upwards of ten thousand dollars a sheet, Gary had started to sweat. He'd stopped counting the sheets in the stacks at one hundred. When he picked up the first sheet of metal, he himself nearly dropped it, setting it back down gingerly with a yelp.  
“What's wrong Gary?” Paul walked over to him, scratching his thinning brown hair.  
Gary pointed to the stack, “Them damn things got some sort of electrical charge running through them, hear that hum? You can feel it. Go on, touch them.”  
Paul had backed away, “Naw, I ain't touching nothing.”  
“Well we gots ta' put them up anyway so you gonna have to.” He'd given Paul a shove, toppling him forward to plant his palms on the smooth metal eliciting a screech as Paul snatched his hands to his chest, “Oh man, what if these things are radioactive, dude?”  
Paul looked paler than usual and that was saying something. Inching towards the sheets again, Gary reached over and lifted one up. It was lighter than it looked, as if it was made of aluminum. When he removed it from the stack it lost contact with the other sheets and the humming faded. He picked up a handful of the brackets the sheets were going to set into and tilted his head towards the corridor before them.  
“Come on, we got a whole hallway to do plus some a those rooms. We're gonna be here too long as it is.”  
Now they had moved down the hallway on the right side almost to the end, unscrewing the tall panels covering the painted concrete, securing the brackets into the wall, setting the metal sheets and replacing the stainless steel. It was back breaking work. They'd moved on to wearing gloves when they'd yet received yet another cut on their hands from the sheet edges.  
The head honcho, a severe looking but handsome tall man, had visited them earlier in the day, asking how long it would take to do the job now that they'd started. Gary had given him an estimate of another two days maybe three tops. As the man walked away down the corridor behind them, Gary watched him stop at one of the doors, standing there for a long while before moving on.  
As they worked, attaching the brackets, setting the sheets to adjoin one another, Gary noted that the humming had resumed along the walls now.  
“That's damn creepy, you ask me.”  
“What the heck are these things supposed ta do anyway, Gary?” Paul drilled another screw hole into the concrete, measured it with a level and marked the next hole with a pencil.  
“Hell, I guess they're like reinforcement. I don't know what he's planning on keeping down here. Maybe he's got some real strong nutjobs up there.”  
“Ya never know what with those freaks nowadays. Prolly got himself some guy can bust through walls up there.” Paul fished his cell phone out of his jeans pocket and looked at it, “Hey it's after four We ought to start packing it in.”  
Gary tightened the screws on the stainless steel, “I'd say we stay and finish what we can but I need to get outta here for the day.”

David sat before his computer. He'd typed up his notes for the day. Now he would be able to focus on his project. He opened the email from Darryl once again, even though he knew exactly what it read. It simply served to reinforce his goal.  
When he first opened the email a couple of weeks ago and read through the file on Brenna, he had hit a temporary dead end. Her name was listed just as Chase had told him but when it came down to her personal info, where the names of her parents should have been was the word “Classified”. Being faced with such a dilemma, he had decided that help of another kind was needed. He had to find out what was in her file that was so serious it would be termed classified and then he had to figure out what to do with the information.  
He knew that digging deeper could well put him in serious danger if he was caught but those moments of lucidity were rare occurrences now. When he finally decided to contact Jay, he had his checkbook out and ready. It was going to cost him to go this far.   
Firewalls, back doors, codes, redundancies were nothing to Jay. Not when he could manipulate the world wide web with his mind. He could extract data with a touch of his hand and he made a very comfortable if precarious living doing so. Predictably he flew below the radar. His benefactors made sure of it. Annie had introduced David to him soon after he'd graduated college and he'd given David a bit of help when he needed to increase his capital for the hospital renovation. This task was far more complex than manipulating the Swiss bank account of a small time crime lord but within an hour, David had the information sitting in a red micro drive before him on his desk.  
David had opened the drive, staring at the folders marked “Loki” and “Eidra” respectively. He read the file marked Loki three times through, taking an unexpected trip further into the world of unreality, finally sitting back to stare at the screen.   
Brenna was the daughter of a psycopathic god.   
He gazed at the folder marked New York, with its picture and video sub-folders, for a long time before he opened it and started to read. By the time he was finished, his opinion had changed. Loki was an immensely powerful man, but a man just the same, certainly not one of the legendary immortals David had read about in his youth. He could be captured, he could be hurt and David had formulated a partial plan though there were still holes in it, slowly filling in when he clicked on the folder marked Eidra and the name beneath her place of birth screamed out at him, “Alfheim” All at once he had his answer but there was work to do first. 

If the girl wasn't allowed to travel without a chaperone and what he wanted to ask her to do was way outside the realm of acceptable, he was either going to have to kidnap her, a serious risk if he wanted to steer clear of prison, or make her want to come to him. For that he needed a bargaining chip, a draw so powerful she would do anything he asked.


	59. 59

Loki was soaked through to the bone, the rain mixing with sleet in a torrent that seemed to increase with every step. He glanced at his brother as they walked through the slushy mud. The water fair streamed from the tip of Thor's pony tail, the braid at his shoulder, his beard. Thank Odin he had worn his plain battle helmet. The ceremonial horns would have had water running in rivulets down his cheeks. Thor's face was set, determined as they neared the large tent where two guards stood outside the tent flap. As they approached, the guards bowed, lifting the flaps for them to enter.   
Just inside to the left stood King Freyr who nodded to them. The bodies of the fallen lay in a row, covered to the chest with blankets as if they were only asleep though the illusion was shattered here and there by a split skull, a chest cracked open like an eggshell, the absence of heads altogether. The back of the man kneeling beside the second body in the line held a familiar form. Eldan was stroking Danar's brow, smoothing the hair from his forehead, murmuring something, perhaps a prayer for the dead. Loki walked up behind him as Thor move further down the line.  
He stood, waiting till Eldan fell quiet.  
“I feel your pain and I share it.”  
Eldan grunted, “At the very least you had the fortune of losing your son swiftly. You were spared the agony of watching him grow to a man, become respected, gain a position of power and then having his life cut short.”  
“A different sort of pain then, I suffered the agony of opportunity lost, of never knowing what might have been had my son lived.”  
Eldan nodded slowly, pivoted around and struggled to his feet, ignoring Loki's outstretched hand.   
“Then I accept your condolences.”   
They retreated to stand at the feet of the slain warriors,“Tell me, does Eidra know of Danar's fate?”  
Loki thought of the scroll in Thor's pouch, “It was rumored but yet to be confirmed.”  
“Ah, well you will confirm it for her then, will you not?”  
“I shall.” Loki nodded, “Please excuse me, I must speak with my brother.”

Thor was standing before the battered body of Magnus who looked as if he had gone to his death nobly though in agony. The stone dagger which had ended his life had puncture his jaw just under his chin leaving a gaping hole just above his right eyebrow where the blade had exited his skull. Thor's hands were curled into fists and he was panting hard. Loki touched Thor's shoulder, felt the muscles taut, trembling  
“We will bring the other warriors home for a proper funeral. Him we will bury here with his weapons for he shall need them to fight his way through Helheim.”  
“No. We must bring him home with the others and give him the funeral a warrior deserves because in the eyes of the people that is what he is. To do less would bring your grievance with him to light. He has died in battle, do you wish to dishonor him then and spend eternity in Valhalla in shame?”  
Thor wrenched his shoulder from beneath Loki's hand pivoting about to face him.  
“Would you not wish to do the same were the situation yours?” he growled, “Would you not wish to strip all honor from him?!”   
Loki drove him further down the tent away from Freyr and Eldan who had stopped talking and were now watching them curiously.  
“By Odin!” Loki hissed, “Keep your voice down. Do you wish to announce to the entire realm your secret suffering? You have asked me to be your adviser thus I advise you not to stray from the norm. He has paid the price for his indiscretion and you are free from your tormentor. Let that be enough.”  
Thor yearned to vent his rage, Loki could well see it. The set of his jaw, the weight of his brow, the pain in his eyes.  
“What would you do brother, had it been you?”  
Loki looked to the dead Magnus, “It would have been my dagger buried in his skull, but you do not have the luxury of such an action now that you are king. Please, listen to me.”  
After what seemed an eternity, Thor took a deep breath, let it out slowly as he turned to Loki, “Very well, your advice is sound. I will do as you say, but mark my words, brother, he has wronged his king, committed adultery, dishonored his family by his actions. We will not see him in Valhalla if he be judged well and truly.”  
“Then there be your compensation for your patience,” Loki nodded towards Freyr and Eldan, “Come, we have much to discuss.”  
Thor glanced once more at Magnus's body, “Yes, let our thoughts to more pressing matters.”  
King Freyr, seeing them approach, nodded toward the tent flap, “Come, we shall repair to my own tent to talk.”

The constant percussion of the rain on the oilcloth seemed to bear down with an invisible weight upon him. He tried to listen to Freyr, Thor, Eldan and the others discuss their next moves but the ride to the camp, the wet clothing, the hunger gnawing at his stomach all served to sap his strength. He leaned his head back against the chair for a moment and all at once, Thor was jabbing him in the side. “Loki, have you heard nothing of what we have said?” he whispered.  
He scanned the tent grateful at least that the others were still talking, though Freyr did have his gaze set on him.  
“Forgive me brother. I am exhausted.”  
Thor had been about to chide him but Freyr spoke up, “We have all had a trying day. We cannot hope to defend our camp much less our realm if our senses be dulled by fatigue. Surtr has declared a temporary truce.”  
“And how trustworthy is Surtr?” Thor crossed his arms, staring across the long table at Freyr.  
“We have sentries posted. I am not so foolish as to presume he will keep his word”

When they made their tent, Thor fell into his cot and was asleep in moments. Loki, who had been so tired a short time before, now lay, irritated, wide awake, on his cot thinking of home. The rain had stopped and the silence that followed was deafening. Finally he sat up, pulled on his boots, grabbed his cloak and emerged into a darkened, quiet camp punctuated here and there by campfires, torches. Low voices drifted to him from the darkness as he walked between the tents until he came to the end of the encampment at the top of the hill. Across a deep valley lay the encampment of the Jotunn though he thought it more resembled the realm of Hel. Bonfires lay across the outer edge of the encampment, their flames rising high into the air, illuminating the crude shelters beyond. He stood watching for signs of life but their camp was similarly silent. He found himself muttering a few old spells just to refresh his memory.  
As he returned to the rows of tents, he noticed one tent a bit larger than the others in the row. Two Alfari warriors stood sentinel before it. When they saw him approaching, they stood at attention.  
He stopped before them, “What is inside this tent?”  
The warrior to his left barked an answer, “One of the Jotunn prisoners, your Majesty.”  
“I was not aware any had been taken,” he paused, eying the tent, “I wish to speak to the prisoner.”  
The warrior who had first spoken, glanced over to his partner who nodded and raised the tent flap.  
“You may enter.”  
The interior of the tent was sweltering. Four braziers burned in the center, vented to the heavens by the hole at the apex of the central tent pole and yet the young Jotunn still shivered as he lay on a pallet as close as possible to them.   
His skin was a shade of blood red. He wore heavy leather armor plate and dark ebony leather breeches, his undershirt looked to be made of brown wool. His long black hair half hid his face and when he moved to change position, Loki heard the clink of chains. The Alfari had bound him with manacles made from elven metal.   
Loki had made up his mind to leave when the Jotunn's eyes opened and he sat up. His head reached over halfway to the top of the tent and Loki knew were he to stand up, he would be able to peek through the vent hole at the top. Loki, even as tall as he was, would probably reach his waist at best. The Jotunn leaned over to peer around the braziers at Loki with eyes as black as coal save for the irises which were fire red.  
“The legends are true.” his voice was oddly lyrical, out of place with his bearing.  
Loki was taken aback, “What is your name prisoner?”  
“Gungrail, and you are the son of Farbauti and Laufey, our brothers and sisters in Jotunheim.”  
Loki's initial reaction was to race from the tent but he forced himself to remain, sticking out his chin, regarding the Jotunn.   
“How know you what I am?”   
Gungrail smiled, his teeth shining like polished hematite, “It is plain to me. I see your true form though you appear human. You are Jotunn. We have been told your story many times, how Odin took you from the sacrificial altar in the temple on Jotunnheim and raised you as an Asgardian prince. You were an aberration,” he looked Loki over with a grin, “You are small for a Jotunn male.”  
“I am tall for an Asgardian!” Loki snarled, “I curse my Jotunn blood.”  
Gugnrail's smile dissolved into a frown. He leaned forward on his hands, “There are far worse fates in this realm than being a Jotunn.”  
“I can think of nothing worse save facing a war over trade routes and border disputes yet again....”  
Gungrail sat back, a brief look of confusion upon his face as he roared with laughter, surprising Loki who glared at him.  
“Trade routes....? Is that what the mighty King Freyr has told you? Pray tell me more and then I shall tell you another tale equally engaging.”  
“Freyr claims you wished to use an ancient trade route through Alfheim which has been closed for centuries because of skirmishes and disputes and so you wished to expand your borders to include the route.”  
Gungrail nodded, “Very good, a bit dull though. Now let me tell you the real reason. It is one you may sympathize with or you may rebuke utterly. Freyr has told you false. We are at war because of love.”  
Loki looked behind him as if expecting to see Freyr standing there, ready to refute the Jotunn's declaration, “Love? How so?”  
Gungrail curled around the braziers, “Do you think you alone have a foot set in two worlds? There are others of our race who walk among you in human form. In this way we trade, barter, work within the realms and also do we find mates, produce offspring who have a place in two realms as do yours. The tragedy behind this disagreement is not one of trade or borders. A son of Surtr and the daughter of an Alfari nobleman have fallen in love and mated.”  
Chills coursed through Loki's body, “I have witnessed firsthand the fate of an Alfari woman who chooses to mate outside her race. I have also heard lies told from one whose fate hangs in the balance as seems to be the case with you. If you indeed speak the truth, tell me where be these two star-crossed lovers?”  
Gungrail pointed with a gracefully tapered finger outside the tent, “The woman, I am told, is sequestered inside Freyr's castle at the behest of her parents as she awaits an audience with the Alfari High Court. The young Jotunn has returned to us and now waits on the other side of the valley. His name is Velos.”  
Loki stood silent, staring into the flames of the braziers while Gungrail sat back on his haunches, hands held up to the fire. “It is a curious thing how very different we are in some things and yet how very much alike in others. You do not feel the cold, you may walk on snow and ice without suffering any ill effects. We, on the other hand, may walk through fire without fear of being burned and yet we both feel love and hatred and fear and sadness in equal measure.”  
Loki half heard Gungrail's musings. He stepped back towards the tent flap, “I must go.”  
“What will you do with what I have told you?”  
But Loki did not answer him, merely turned and walked through the entrance into the night.   
Once outside, he stood between the two sentries, his breath ghosting into the cold air. After a moment's hesitation, he headed towards the edge of camp until he was once again looking across the valley at the Jotunn bonfires. He drew his dagger out of his scabbard, laying it across the palms of his hands and, holding it out before him, started down the slope into the valley below.

“Gilad look!”   
The sentry had been busy honing the tip of his spear when he heard his companion's fierce whisper.  
“What is it, Tolen?”  
“There is something moving about in the valley, it looks to be coming this way!”  
Tolen stood up, scanning the darkness until he detected the faintest of movement.   
“I see. It is likely an animal, a deer, or a wolf,” He raised his spear, waiting for it to come closer.  
“Wait, Gilad.”  
Gilad lowered his spear as they strained their vision to the furthest reaches of the bonfires.   
“It is a human! A man!” Tolen cried and once again Gilad raised his spear, “He is carrying something before him.”  
A few more steps, “His dagger,” Gilad whispered, “...he holds it in a sign of peace.”  
“Should we wake Surtr?” Tolen glanced behind him at the encampment.  
“Let us hear what he wants first.”

Loki saw the two sentries step forward of the line of bonfires, both their spears at the ready.  
“We acknowledge your sign of peace. Who are you and why have you come here?”  
Loki extended the dagger upwards towards them, “I am Loki, son of Odin, prince regent of Asgard and adviser to King Thor. I wish to speak with one who is in your camp.”  
Gilad looked to Tolen then back to Loki, “I have heard of you, brother.”   
He held out his hand to Loki who placed the dagger in his palm. Gilad plucked the dagger out of his hand with two fingers.   
“Remarkable.” he nodded to Tolen, “Who is it you wish to speak with?”  
Loki bowed slightly, “The one among you named Velos.”


	60. 60

As they advanced into the camp, Loki walking between them, other Jotunn began to emerge from their shelters. A murmur arose around them until they stopped at a shelter set deep in the encampment.   
“Wait here.” Gilad held up a massive hand and knocked at the heavy wooden door. “Enter.”   
As Gilad stepped inside. Loki was able to catch a glimpse only of the bright glow from a fire, casting hunched shadows on the far wall before the door shut again.  
As he waited, Loki felt the other sentry's gaze heavy upon him. He looked up, expecting the sentry to look away but he merely tilted his head.  
“Why do you stare at me?”  
“It is rare that we ever see one of our brothers from the land of ice and snow. They....keep to themselves.”  
Loki focused on the door before him, “And it is well that they do.”  
“You do not claim them as your people?”  
Loki only shook his head. Any other response he could have formed would have most certainly have been taken as an offense.  
The door swung open and the other sentry waved him inside, “I will inform Surtr you are here.”  
Though he knew they would have no choice but to inform King Surtr of his arrival, Loki was unconcerned as to his safety. To harm a visitor who had come in peace would be a serious breach of protocol.  
Loki entered the shelter to find a young Jotunn, seeming ill at ease, standing beside an ironwork cot, adjusting his leather jerkin. He was shorter than the two sentries who had brought Loki there though Loki still only reached his sternum. Loki had been privy to scattered dealings with Muspelheim in the High Council of Asgard and judging by the Jotunn he'd met, the one standing before him would be considered handsome for his race, possessing the lighter red skin and gleaming black hair he was currently pulling into a ponytail with a particular grace.  
“I am Loki of Asgard.”  
The Jotunn nodded curtly, stuttering his reply, “ Ve..Velos of Mus...pelhieim.”  
“I have come to beg audience with you. We have a prisoner of war in our camp. His name is Gungrail, you know of him?”  
“Yes, of course. We thought he too had been killed. He yet lives?” Velos waved to a table beside the bed, “Might I offer you some wine? It is a fine vintage. The grapes grow so very well in our soil.”  
Loki bowed graciously, “I have heard tell of your vineyards.”   
As he watched Velos pour the wine into two goblets, he was struck by how very unlike their counterparts in Jotunheim the Jotunn of Muspelheim had always been. How barbaric the frost giants were. Warmongering, brutish. They had no wish to trade with the other realms, repelling intruders with deadly force.  
“Forgive me, this is the smallest chalice we have here in camp.” Velos handed Loki a goblet which looked very much like a small basin on a pedestal.  
“Then you will forgive me if I cannot drink all of the wine. I must return to my encampment with my senses about me.”   
They touched chalices, and Loki took a sip from his cup.  
“Exceeding fine,” he murmured.  
“It calms my nerves, truth be told,” Velos gripped the chalice like a lifeline, “Tell me, what did Gungrail tell you that would compel you to come to our encampment to speak with me?”  
“He told me this dispute has nothing to do with borders or trade as we have been told,” Loki chuckled, half expecting Velos to join in but Velos's mouth dropped open.   
“Borders? No, not at all. Is this what you have been told? Is this why the warriors of Asgard now join the Alfari forces?”  
“We were told you wished to reopen an ancient trade route within Alfheim's borders.”  
Velos rubbed his chin, “Damn him, this is the play he has made.”  
“Who?”   
“Freyr!” Velos spat, “What did Gungrail tell you? Did he tell you the truth?”  
Loki raised an eyebrow, “Show me your human form.”  
“What did Gungrail say?”  
“He told me you have mated with an Alfari woman who is now being kept inside Freyr's castle awaiting a meeting of the High Court.”  
Velos's countenance broke then, concern etched deep into his features, “So Marwen is not in your encampment? Is she safe?”  
“I tell you, I do not know her. I did not know of her until tonight. I only know what Gungrail told me. Where he heard what he conveyed to me, I do not know.”  
Velos nodded as his face began to lighten, turning paler, his form reducing in height, his eyes fading to a light blue, hair turning a light brown until before him stood a young man a head shorter than himself. In human form, his fair skinned face wore his fears far bolder than before. He pulled his jerkin, which had become too big for him, over his head, leaving his long undergarment to drape over him like a robe.   
“It was in this form that I met Marwen and fell in love with her. I was indeed using an ancient route to travel through Alfheim. It was this route that crossed lands belonging to Marwen's family.”  
Velos smiled at the memory, “She was gathering honey from a tree, smoking out the bees with a smudge fire. I stopped a distance away, only intending to watch but she began to get stung so I came to her rescue in my Jotunn form, drove the bees back and scared her nearly to death and you probably ken nothing of this,” Velos gave him a nervous smile.  
Loki took another sip of the wine, his eyes on Velos, “On the contrary. I am married to an Alfari woman.”  
At the revelation, Velos shook his head, “How came this to be? The Alfari have strict laws governing their women,” he waved about the tent, “As you see by our situation.”  
Loki held up his hand, “It is a story best left for telling when time is not of the essence, suffice it to say mine was a long journey. Tell me, is Marwen with child?”  
Velos nodded, “But they do not know, she does not show yet. We are here this night because we were found out by Marwen's father. She told her family she was being courted by a nobleman. By all accounts she was telling the truth. My father is the ruler of Muspelheim. They believed, though, by nobleman, she meant Alfari born. When they inquired about the kingdom but could find no family who laid claim to me, they confronted us. I was driven from their home and Marwen was spirited away.”  
Before Loki could respond, however, a voice from without roared, “Velos!”  
Velos leaped as if he'd been prodded with a sharp stick, “My father....”  
“Bring the visitor out here!”  
Loki turned to look at the door behind him, half expecting it to be flung open. When he returned his gaze to Velos, before him stood the young man in his Jotunn form again.  
“Please follow me.”  
Surtr stood outside the door of the shelter, a fist on his hip, the other atop an immense sword. His leather armor gleamed with silver brads and short spikes , his pauldrons, vambraces and greaves polished iron in an ornate design, his black hair drawn up into a leather wrapped topknot.  
“Why have you come here?”  
Loki bowed, “I have come to determine why the warriors of Asgard have been summoned to the side of the Alfari.”  
Surtr's gaze slid to his son, “And have you found the answer you sought after?”  
“It would seem so.”  
To his right, he could see Velos fidgeting.  
“It has been many seasons since I laid eyes on you, son of...” Surtr paused, “Farbauti”  
Loki took a deep breath, fighting the urge to rebuke him sharply, “I am a son of Odin for all intents and purposes. My Jotunn blood lies buried deep within.”  
“You should embrace it!” Surtr threw a hand wide.  
Loki studied his hands, considering for a minute. What would it hurt to show them? Perhaps it would even further his cause to make a quick end of this skirmish. He let out a deep breath, relinquishing the hold upon his human form as his skin began to change, to harden, grow cool then colder, the natural tattoos etched beneath rising along his face, arms, legs, chest. He lifted his hands once again to stare at them, hating the cerulean hue, the ebony nails. Then he heard Surtr laugh.  
“You are yet a bit short for an ice Jotunn, though I recall that would be Laufey's side of the family,” Surtr squatted down before him, “But tell me now, does this not feel better?”Freer?”  
Loki let the warmth, the softness return to his skin, “It is not who I am.”  
Surtr stood up again, “Not for many a season.....Son of Odin,then, do you come of your own accord or do you speak for the entire encampment?”  
“I came of my own accord.”  
“Gungrail still lives, father.” Velos piped up.  
“He does?”  
Loki felt many eyes upon him, “A prisoner of war. It was he told me of this dilemma.”  
“A sad tale is it not? Son of Odin....how is the mighty Allfather? Did he accompany you on this campaign?”  
Loki thought of Odin, lying in his massive bed, waving the servants about, grumbling, muttering to himself.  
“He remains in the palace at Asgard. King Thor commands the troops.”   
“A pity, Freyr might have listened to reason had Odin been here.”  
Loki bristled at the slight, “The Allfather would have listened to Freyr's lies for that is what he seems to be telling us. We were unaware this was anything more than a border dispute.”  
“What?!” Surtr roared raising his sword, “That unconscionable deceiver. Tolen!”  
The Jotunn who had accompanied him to the shelter stepped forward, “Sire?”  
Surtr turned to him, “Sound the call to arms!”  
“Wait!” Loki cried, “Let me return to the encampment to speak with my brother and with Freyr. Surely he can be made to see reason. Perhaps an agreement can be made.”  
Surtr slammed the tip of his sword hard into the ground, “An agreement of what sort? I shall agree only to one point. They must allow Marwen to marry my son. The life of a child hangs in the balance.”  
“Father!” Velos cried, “You...know....”  
“Boy, do you not think I have eyes and ears? Whispers are still able to be heard, gestures are still able to be seen.”  
Surtr bent low to look into Loki's eyes, “I will stay my warriors until the sun has risen upon the following day and that is more than I am willing to give. However, as you are a brother in kind and have come in peace seeking truth, I will honor your request,” Surtr held out his hand to Loki. In his palm lie Loki's dagger. He took it, sliding it into its scabbard.  
“Now go, see if you might sway the heart or speak to the conscience of a foolish King, but be forewarned. If a compromise is not met, if Freyr continues on the path he has chosen, we will overtake his forces, storm the castle and retrieve Marwen no matter the cost.” Surtr stood up, “Fare you well brother.”  
Loki bowed, “Fare you well, your Highness.”

 

“Sire! The tents have been searched.” The guard bowed low.  
Thor gripped the handle of the torch hard enough to hurt, “The camp perimeter as well?”  
“Yes, Sire.”  
Thor started towards the clearing where the horses were tied, thinking perhaps Loki, feeling restless had felt the need to ride. It had happened to himself more than once before a battle, the rush of adrenaline that came with the knowledge that the next sunset could well be one's last and the need to expend it, control it before the call to arms.   
The need to relieve himself had wakened Thor. When he realized his brother was not in his cot, he surmised the same urge had stricken him but when he could not find Loki in the woods behind their tent, he became concerned. Concern had quickly shifted to panic as he continued to search the encampment. Now, as he hurried towards the horses, he prayed he would find Lightning missing. In the very least, it would give him a starting point and a better one than the belief his brother had disappeared into thin air.  
As he neared the horses, he heard a shout behind him, “Sire! Someone approaches from the Jotunn encampment!”  
Thor whirled about, starting off on a trot back the way he had come until another shout broke him into a run, “It looks to be Prince Loki!”

When Loki walked between the bonfires and began his descent into the valley below, he noted torches moving back and forth in the Alfari encampment, knowing at once they were for him. Thor must have awakened to find him missing. As he started to trudge up the slope towards the camp, he heard shouts though he couldn't make out words. He had come close enough to make out the faces of the guardsmen who stood at the edge of the camp watching him with their bows in hand when Thor came bursting through the line with a roar, “LOKI!”  
He kept walking, expecting Thor to slow as he came nearer but Thor kept coming, a berzerker holding a flaming torch, cloak streaming behind him. Steps from him, Thor tossed the torch to the ground and grabbed him by both shoulders hard enough to clack his teeth together, sending him back a few steps as he fought to keep his balance.  
“What is the meaning of this?! Why were you at the Jotunn's camp?”  
Thor's anger caught Loki off guard. Only when Thor shook him again did it loosen his tongue.  
“I spoke with the Alfari's Jotunn prisoner this evening.... I was told.....”  
Thor cut him short, “Do you not realize how this looks, brother? You coming from the Jotunn camp?”  
At the accusation harbored within the question, he wrenched free of Thor's grasp with a hard shove, “Speak plainly, Thor! Do you mean to brand me a traitor by association or blood?!”  
Thor's hand shot out, grabbing Loki's arm again, drawing him further down the slope the way he'd come while Loki cried, “Do you doubt my loyalty?!”  
Thor pulled him close, his breath tickling Loki's ear, “If I had, you would not be here now with me. You would not be my adviser, however others may not have such confidence that know your heritage.”  
Loki's legs felt ready to fold beneath him, “I had good reason to visit the Jotunn camp...”   
Thor shook him again, this time Loki dropped to one knee, chest heaving, “Brother, let me speak!”  
At his plea, Thor's grip softened. He lifted Loki back to his feet, “Speak, and quickly before others reach us.”  
“Freyr has misled us.”  
“The prisoner has filled your head with his own lies. How know you this?”  
Thor heard footsteps behind him and leaned closer to Loki, “We will go to Freyr and speak to him. I pray to the Allfather that what you have been told is true lest we offend the Alfari. I do not wish a war based on idle gossip.”  
“Nor do I.”  
When the guards reached them, they turned and started up the hill, “Inform King Freyr we wish an audience with him!” Thor called to the guards standing on the ridge, “Now!”

 

They listened to King Freyr's voice as they waited outside of his tent. Loki had taken to pacing, feeling Thor's eyes upon him.  
“Brother,” Thor whispered, “Calm yourself. We cannot rush in headlong ready for an argument.”  
Loki's heart was ready to pound from his chest. He well knew what could go wrong were he to falsely accuse Freyr. Thor had been right, if he had instead been misled, Asgard could be plunged into a war with Alfheim but Velos's plight had struck so surely at his heart he could do naught, save what he was now going to do. All he had been able to see when Velos was talking of Marwen's imprisonment, was Eidra. His Eidra, sitting defiant before the High Court in Freyr's castle, standing between the stone pillars, terrified, her body lying on the scaffold. The parallels were so true that to stand by and let fate run its course would have been an affront to everything they had been through. If he didn't at least make an effort to right this wrong, perhaps atone for his own failure to save Eidra, he could never look her in the face again.  
The tent flap rose and an Alfari sentry stepped aside, “Enter.”  
Freyr was sitting at a writing desk in a long linen nightshirt, a dark blue velvet robe over his shoulders. He looked tired, though judging by the parchment on the desk before him, he had already been awake when they arrived at the tent. He set the quill into the inkwell and stood as they walked into the tent.  
“The guards inform me you wish an audience with me,” his gaze shifted to Thor then to Loki as he clasped his hands before him. “At dawn we are to meet Surtr and his forces so tell me what is so urgent you leave off preparing for battle?”  
“Your Highness,” Thor began but Loki stepped forward.  
“Who is Marwen?”  
“Loki!” Thor cried, but Loki held up his hand as the tent flap opened again and Eldan slipped inside, bowing, “Your Highness.”  
Freyr gave him a grim smile but his eyes never left Loki who felt now as a child being brought before his elders to answer for a grave mistake.  
“The name means nothing to me.”  
Loki felt as if he had been punched in the stomach by Thor's almighty hammer. He looked about the tent, desperate for some sort of confirmation that the information he'd been given was indeed the truth when he caught Freyr's gaze as it flickered to Eldan, saw the look that passed between them and he stepped forward with a snarl, ignoring the Alfari guard who mirrored his movement, his sword at the ready to defend his King.  
“You lie!”  
Thor was at Loki's side at once, “Brother!”  
At Loki's accusation, Freyr had reached at his side instinctively for his sword. Finding none, he advanced until Loki could smell the spiced wine upon his breath, “How dare you insult me in such a way! How dare you accuse me of such a lowly....”   
“I have spoken with the prisoner Gungrail..”  
“You had no right!”  
“He told me of the true reason we stand on the brink of battle this day..”  
Freyr laughed, “You take the word of an enemy...Thor, you have made a poor choice in choosing as your adviser...”  
Loki felt Thor's hand fist at his back, “Do not cast such dispersions against my brother! You speak not to a servant but a prince of the realm!”  
“And tell me, Prince Loki,” Freyr sneered, “What great secret is it you have been told vexes you so?”  
“I was told you hold an Alfari woman, Marwen, in your castle awaiting a hearing before the High Court because she loves the son of Surtr, Velos.”  
Eldan cleared his throat as Freyr frowned, “Then you have been led astray.”  
“I have spoken to Velos!”  
“How?!” Freyr gripped Loki by the shoulders, ripping him from Thor's side as Loki's mind worked frantically.  
“How have you spoken to Velos?!” Freyr spat at him.  
Loki narrowed his gaze, watching Freyr's exterior demeanor crack and fold.  
“I went in peace to the Jotunn encampment.”  
“Traitor!” Freyr shoved him away.  
Thor caught Loki before he could pitch to the ground, snarling at Freyr, “You dare to treat the person of a royal in such a manner!”  
“It is because he knows I speak the truth,” Loki regained his footing as Freyr swung about, pointing to the guards.  
“Out! Both of you out! See that we are not disturbed upon pain of death!”   
The two Alfari sentries hesitated, reluctant to leave their King unprotected but Freyr shouted at them again, “Out, damn you!”  
The sentries quickly slid through the tent flap as Freyr banged his fists on the writing desk nearly upsetting the inkwell, sending the quill fluttering to the woven rug at his feet.  
“You do not know what lies at stake.” Freyr muttered, staring down at the parchment on the desk.  
“Do I not?” Loki had held tight to his emotions, now theyrose to the surface with the speed of an erupting volcano, “Have you forgotten so easily the agony I endured at the mercy of your High Court?!”  
He was shouting now. If such an uproar didn't bring the guards running, then they were at the other side of the encampment, “....Because I have not. I am reminded of it each day I wake up beside my wife!”  
“Loki!” Eldan cried  
Freyr looked to Eldan, “Your daughter lives?”  
Eldan stared at the ground, his head bobbed in assent.  
“How?” Freyr stared at Loki, “What dark magic did you use to return her from the dead?”  
“It took little magic for she was never beyond saving. She lay between life and death because her life was wrongly taken from her.”  
“Impossible! Our laws, our ways have been ordained by nature! That is what we are fighting for! To keep our race pure, to continue the path nature has shown us. Marwen must not be allowed to give birth to a child of mixed race!”  
Loki stepped backwards, his hand aching to draw his dagger, “I have three children by Eidra! She carries another even as we speak. They are themselves royals, would you not afford them the same courtesy, the same honor and respect as the King of Asgard because they be of mixed race?” He threw his hand back to Thor as Freyr's countenance darkened further, “Every race in the nine realms must branch out lest they suffer the weakness of inbreeding, the frailties of health. Such an influx of fresh blood would strengthen the Alfari people, add complexity, diversity, enhance them.”  
“Bah! You believe this to further acceptance of your own mistakes,” Freyr looked at the side of the tent as if able to see through to the Jotunn encampment, “A Jotunn mating with an Alfari...”  
“Choose your words carefully,” Thor growled.  
“I cannot allow this to happen.”  
“So you would condemn your warriors to death to uphold an outdated, ancient belief whose time has passed? You would let them into battle believing in the righteousness of their cause? You would ignore the pleas of two young lovers, allow another life to be extinguished?”  
Freyr sat down heavily on his chair, head in his hands on the writing desk, “Even were I to allow them to marry, to bear children, such a decision would have to pass before the High Court. Were they to let her live, she would be cast out of Alfheim. Where would she go then? You would condemn her to die alone just as surely as if the High Court had sent her to her death...”  
“Surtr seemed to have no compunction about granting her asylum, just as Asgard has done for Eidra. Your Highness, It is Alfheim and your High Court who refuse to bend. Surtr has promised he will find Marwen and free her if it take every last Jotunn to do so.”  
Freyr brushed his hair back from his face, the fight drained from him, “It is already too late, we face Surtr on the field of battle at dawn. There is no time to reach the castle and call together the High Court before the sun rises.”  
Loki felt tremors race through his body as he let out a deep breath, “Surtr has promised to stay the battle until sunrise one day hence. If we ride now, there may yet be time.”  
Freyr stood again, “And if the High Court rules in favor of the law?”  
“Then you will lose,” Thor rumbled, “You will be vastly outnumbered and overrun. The warriors of Asgard will not stand beside you in battle.”  
Loki turned to Thor but Thor simply stared at Freyr whose face held the look of utter defeat, “To our horses then. I will order our guards to hold their position. Eldan?”  
“Yes, Sire.”  
“You will accompany me, fetch your horse.”  
Eldan bowed, “Yes, Sire.”  
“And let us pray for mercy even as we prepare for death.”


	61. 61

“Out of the question!” The speaker for the High Court, Toldun, was now on his feet. Loki's head had begun to throb, he was hungry, exhausted, on edge and it was starting to impair his ability to think straight. When the speaker had declared Marwen had confessed she was with child, likely in an effort to spur compassion into the High Court's hearts, he was certain the battle for her freedom would be well nigh impossible to win.  
Thor had also risen from his chair, “On what grounds? Do you wish to throw Alfheim into war? Condemn innocent warriors to die? You have witnessed firsthand the ferocity of the Jotunn. Do not fool yourself into thinking nothing will be lost!”  
“We uphold the sacred laws and as such are willing to sacrifice our lives in their defense.”  
“What do you hope to gain in this?” Loki cried, the effort closing his eyes in pain.  
“The preservation of our race. The purity of our offspring!” Toldun's face was red with rage.  
Loki looked to Eldan who was standing in the shadows. He seemed to have aged twenty years since last they'd met. Every time the speaker would argue his point, Eldan would look to Loki to gauge his reaction.  
“Surtr has already granted the girl asylum and it is my belief she would go willingly. What of banishment?”  
The speaker glanced up and down the table at the rest of the High Court, some of whom were sitting forward intently, others yawning, gazing about the hall.  
“It could be considered,”   
Loki waited.  
“....If she were to consent to give up the child after it was born and agree to bear the Jotunn no more children in the future.”  
“What?!” Loki and Thor were in unison, even Eldan seemed shaken. Freyr, sitting on the throne behind the High Court, hands crossed over his lap, gave no indication of his reaction.  
“And what would become of the child were she to consent to such a monstrous agreement?”  
For a moment, the speaker faltered, cleared his throat, “The child would be...sacrificed.”  
A murmur rose from the crowd that had gathered to watch the proceedings. Loki, even in his ensuing shock was glad to see some of the Court members themselves turning to speak to one another.  
“You would commit infanticide?” Thor slammed his fist on the table before him.  
“To preserve the....”  
“Speak not to me of race again!” Thor roared.  
A voice from the shadows came, tremulous, it was Eldan, holding a hand out to Thor, “You, yourself should appreciate the seriousness of what is transpiring here for was it not you who brought to justice my daughter in an effort to prevent the birth of a bastard in your own kingdom?”  
But for Loki's grip on his arm, Thor would have been over the table and across the room at Eldan's throat.  
“And you see the terrible price I paid for such a harsh lesson? Would you wish your kingdom to suffer the same fate? You FOOLISH!..”  
A loud creaking sound turned all heads towards the high arched doors leading into the hall where two guards were walking forward. They stopped before the semicircle of tables and bowed to the speaker, then to Freyr who sat on the throne beyond, “Your Majesty, Speaker of the High Court, there has arrived a visitor who requests an audience with the High Court.”  
Loki stood up as Thor whispered to him, “Who can it be?”  
The speaker peered into the shadows of the outer corridor behind them, “Does his presence have relevance to the proceedings?”  
The visitor stepped into the light of the hall, “Without me, there would be no need for them.”  
Velos strode into the center of the room, his demeanor belying the confidence in his words. As he passed the table where Loki and Thor now stood, he smiled weakly.  
“Visitor, state your name and your reason for interrupting these proceedings.” The speaker glared at him.  
“My name is Velos of Muspelheim, son of Surtr, ruler of the realm. I have come to barter for the freedom of the Alfari woman, Marwen Aletta.”  
The speaker turned to Freyr who nodded, “He is indeed the son of Surtr, do proceed.”  
“Barter?” The speaker sneered leaning forward over the podium he was standing at in the middle of the row of tables, “Are we talking of a person or a cow?”  
Chuckles arose from the crowd but Velos stepped closer to the podium, “Trade then, call it what you will. I wish to take Marwen's place.”  
The speaker looked up and down the row of tables, “Take her place? You do not ken the seriousness of..”  
“I am aware of the sacred laws of Alfheim and I ken well what I am asking.”  
Loki watched the speaker turn again to Freyr who merely scanned the room.  
“You cannot have come here with the sole purpose of taking her place then, if you know the laws,” The speaker seemed ready to dismiss him.  
“I know the laws and I am asking you to bend them. I will give my life in her stead if you will release her to my people in Muspelheim.”  
One of the members of the High Court, a giant of a man dressed in green fur trimmed velvet, sat forward, “It is within our power to grant the exchange. It is the right of a woman to name her defiler in her stead....were the situation as simple as that. There is more involved however....”  
“There is the matter of her unborn child,” the speaker added.  
Loki saw the strength drain from Velos's body as he stumbled forward and the sentries caught him but he recovered quickly, looking up at the speaker with grim determination.  
“Then I speak for both mother and child. My life for theirs.”  
The speaker leaned farther over the podium, “If you know as much about our laws as you claim to, then you realize what you are asking is impossible.”  
“NO!” Velos cried, “My life for theirs. I am the father. I have admitted my guilt. What more must you have from her?”  
“The child is an abomination, a product of two races and therefore must be destroyed..”  
“NO! I beg of you! Let her free, banish her if you must! She will be welcome in Muspelheim!”  
“It would be far more merciful to end her life here than to condemn her to such a life.”  
Velos's face darkened and Loki fair shared his rage, “Were my father here to listen to you speak so against the Jotunn..”  
“But he is not and were he here, I would stand by my words,” A grunt from behind him made the speaker turn to see a scowl upon Freyr's face. He turned back, bowing, “My apologies to the son of Surtr.”  
Velos, however, heard none of it, “Let me take her place, I implore you. It will be best for all here in Alfheim.”  
“Do not dare to advise us what is best for our realm..”  
Velos looked up and down the tables, “Then I shall tell you what will be worse. If my request is denied, if Marwen and her child are condemned, my father shall lead his warriors across the border of Alfheim. We will lay waste to each village along our path, striking terror across the land. In each place we will leave behind the tale of injustice. Every citizen will know of your cruelty, your refusal to a plea of mercy and when we reach the castle, we shall tear down every last stone, every last wooden plank to find Marwen and release her. This we will do the the last Jotunn.”  
“And you believe we will simply stand by and let you? Do you not see that we have doubled our forces? Asgard stands at the ready to assist us...”  
“Asgard formally withdraws from this conflict.” Thor called out, “We came to the aide of Alfheim upon claims of a border dispute. This deviates from our agreement.”  
Velos looked toward Loki, the relief plain on his face as he threw his hands in the air, “Do you hear? They will not take part in such a barbaric practice.”  
The speaker held a fist in the air, “And we will not allow idle threats to wipe away a millenia of justice!”  
“The speaker will approach the throne.” Freyr bellowed.   
The speaker turned so swiftly, papers from the ensuing breeze fluttered to the floor about him, “Your Highness”  
The speaker walked up the few steps to the throne and bent down speaking with the King, all eyes upon them. There were gestures, shaking of heads, raised voices. Fnally the speaker stood up, straightening his court robes. He returned to the dais and cleared his throat.   
“The king has granted your request.”   
A din arose from about the room as Loki smiled at Thor though he didn't return it, but tilted his head back to the center of the hall where the sun shone in through the tall leaded windows, watching, waiting.  
“But there will be provisos that must be followed. The woman, Marwen, will be forever banished from Alfheim as will the child she carries and their progeny. If ere they try to return and are found, they will be put to death. Do you agree to this?”  
“For the sake of Marwen and my child, I do so agree. Draw up the decree and send it with her.” Velos noted the slant of the sun. “Time is short.”  
The speaker took his quill, scratching words onto the parchment before him, “Very well, Velos of Muspelheim, you have confessed to the unlawful act of mating with an Alfari woman.The penalty for such an act is death. Because you are of noble birth, you have the right to choose how you shall die.”  
“Quickly.” Velos's voice shook though the room erupted in laughter.  
“Indeed. I have found beheading to be the swiftest way, though it be the messiest. We will proceed to the courtyard.”  
“Wait!” Velos cried, “Might I see Marwen first? I only wish to see her once more.”  
The speaker turned to the King who nodded, “As you wish, she shall be brought from her holding cell.”  
“And I will see her off for I can only go willingly if I see her headed for Muspelheim.”  
“We will accompany her to Muspelheim,” Loki spoke up, causing Thor to sit forward in his chair to stare at him.   
“Truly?”  
“Yes truly,”  
Thor sat back, mumbled, “As you say, Brother,” Then louder, “I concur.”  
Velos clasped his hands together and bowed to them.  
“Then these proceedings are adjourned.” The speaker stepped back from the podium, turned and bowed to the king.  
People started filing out of the hall into the corridor beyond as Loki made his way to Velos, finally reaching him before he was led from the hall. The sentries barred Velos from him but he shoved them aside and took Velos's shoulder, “You are mad.”  
“Am I? Could I have kept my sanity knowing I could have saved her had I been brave enough, smart enough?”  
Loki shook his head, “I once failed where you will succeed. I envy you your opportunity though I wish the outcome were to be different.”  
They were being shuffled along by the crowd and the sentries towards the large double doors leading to one of the inner courtyards of the castle. “As do I, my brother. I must confess my bravado is overshadowed by my fear. The Jotunn have a very different view of the afterlife than do the Asgardians. I wonder whose view is right?”   
The doors creaked open, letting in the afternoon sunlight, “I suppose I shall soon find out.”  
Loki looked to see tears standing in Velos's eyes.  
“If honor and bravery be rewarded in your culture then you will have a glorious afterlife, I've no doubt.”  
“Velos!” A voice echoed in the halls behind him and Loki turned to see a beautiful young woman with dark brown eyes and hair the color of honey plaited down her back rushing toward them, her guards sprinting to keep up. Velos opened his arms enfolding her into an embrace.  
“Velos why are you here? Where are they taking you? They said I am to be released, what is happening?”  
Velos laughed, “Marwen, catch your breath. You must stay calm for the..”  
“Hush, Velos.” Marwen's eyes were wide as she pressed her fingers to his lips.  
“They already know, my honeybee,” he held her hand to him.  
One of the sentries reached in to separate them but Thor's hand shot out, catching him hard by the wrist, “You shall have time enough for your chore, leave them be.”  
Velos glanced at Loki then at Thor, “I present to you Thor, King of Asgard and his brother, Prince Loki.” He guided her to stand in front of Loki, “They are going to see you safely to my father's land where you must stay and raise our child.”  
The speaker passed them, motioning to one of the sentries who took Velos's arm, “Come.”  
Marwen reached out a hand to Velos, “But where are you going?”  
She turned to Loki, “Where are they taking him?”  
When she whirled about again, Velos was moving with the sentries out through the doorway. “Velos!”  
“I love you, Wen. Forgive me,” Velos called over his shoulder as realization dawned upon Marwen and she leaped forward.  
“NOOOO!”   
Loki hesitated to restrain her. He could see the King standing outside in the courtyard, ill at ease as the scene played out before him but the sentries pushed her back until Thor took her by the shoulders. “Stop them, please! Do not let them do this!” She twisted about to look at Thor's face, then to Loki.  
“Please do not let them kill him. I will die without him! I will die!”  
As they moved out into the courtyard, Velos saw Loki and Thor following him.  
“Take her away!” he yelled as they moved him towards a large sloped stone in one corner of the vast courtyard.  
Marwen struggled to free herself from Thor's grasp, staring about the crowd until she cried, “Mother, FATHER! Help him, I beg you please!”  
Loki followed her gaze to see the portly man in the fur trimmed velvet robe whom he'd spied inside, standing a short distance away. He had his arm about the shoulders of a middle-aged beautiful, severe looking woman. Neither of them so much as pointed a finger in her direction, though when Marwen, screamed, “MAMA!” the woman's eyes slid shut.  
“Do not let her stay!” Velos was yelling across the courtyard as a tall Alfari warrior with long white-blond hair stepped forward, withdrawing his sword from his scabbard.  
“Look away, Wen!” Velos cried.   
But Marwen had fallen to screaming the same words over and over, “NO, please, NOO!”  
Loki looked to Freyr who had gone white, slack jawed with the emotion of the whole tableau, then to Thor who was doing his best not to let Marwen break free of his hold. Loki's head buzzed as the scene shimmered before his eyes until he could only see Eidra standing there. He closed his eyes, weak with the desire to be home with his head in her lap as they sat before the fire.  
The speaker moved to stand beside the great stone Velos now knelt before, “You have confessed to the taking of an Alfari woman. You have mated against the sacred laws of Alfheim. You have done the honorable thing and have given your life in exchange for the lives of her and her unborn child. May your journey be swift.”  
The speaker nodded to the warrior who put his hand at the back of Velos's head, pushing it to the stone. From where he stood, Loki could see Velos trembling, hear the ragged gasp as he sought to snatch his last breath, his lips moving silently until the warrior's hand left his head.  
“Courage, Marwen! I love you!” he shouted against the rough rock.  
The warrior raised his sword, the gross sobbing of Marwen as she collapsed in Thor's arm the only sound in the silent crowd and Loki's breath caught in his throat as a shout rang out across the courtyard, “HOLD!”  
The warrior looked out over the crowd, lowering his sword as Freyr stepped forward, “I invoke divine right!”  
A din rose, a crescendo until Freyr cried out, “SILENCE!” and the courtyard drew down to an unsettled murmur.   
“Arise, Velos of Muspelheim and hear me now.”  
Velos knelt back, leaned forward with his forehead against the stone then stood slowly, a hand out to steady himself.  
“I henceforth pardon you for the wrongs against Marwen Alette, however, as goes her banishment, so goes your own. You and your progeny are forbidden to enter the kingdom of Alfheim upon pain of death. Do you ken?”  
Velos could only nod at first, then, “I ken, I do ken upon my father's name, I do ken.”  
The speaker was struck dumb, his hands to his mouth. Loki looked to Marwen's father clutching her mother tightly to his great belly.  
Freyr motioned to Loki and Thor who let Marwen loose, watching as she very nearly vaulted over the stone to reach Velos.  
“This decision may be my undoing if the people find me in poor judgment, then it will be on your heads. Who knows who would rule my kingdom next.”  
Loki scanned the crowd. While there were a few scowls here and there, more than a few women and men were smiling behind their hands at the young couple as they cried together behind the stone.  
“I think you will find your path a bit easier.”  
“And you,” Freyr gestured to him, “Do you find your conscience eased?”  
Loki stared at him in surprise, “I find my guilt has eased though my conscience will always be a prickle at the back of my mind. I have in some small measure atoned for failing Eidra.”  
Freyr nodded, “Take them and go. It is growing later and I do not wish upon waking the next morn to find a Jotunn staring in my bedchamber window at me.”

Tolen and Gilad watched the company, led by Velos who towered over them, advance up the slope to the encampment.  
“Go tell Surtr his son has returned.” Gilad said.  
“Why must I do it?” Tolen grumbled as he stomped off along the line of shelters.  
As they reached the bonfires which seemed to loom far larger than they had the night before, Surtr burst through the line, grabbing Velos, nearly toppling him to the ground.  
“By my grandfather's sword, you have done what you set out to do!”  
“Father, have a care, do you wish me to take our friends out in one fell swoop?”  
Surtr patted Velos on the back and turned to Marwen who dropped into a low curtsey,“We have been banished to Muspelheim, your Majesty. May we request asylum?”   
“You may have it, our Alfari sister, and welcome. Come, friends, for that is what you will be now and forever,” Surtr waved to Loki and Thor, “We will drink to the return of my son and his bride to be.”

Loki flopped face down onto his cot, willing the room to stop spinning.   
“A job well done!” cried Thor, crashing down onto his own cot across the tent, “What fine wines they have. We must trade more often with them.”  
“Mmmph, stop talking so loudly oaf....”  
Thor laughed aloud, dismissing him with a wild wave of his hand, “You behaved admirably, my royal adviser! I am pleased.”  
Loki turned to his side, “Pleased enough that I may enjoy a few days at home when we are done with this damnable campaign?”  
“Indeed you shall. I myself will be taking a trip to Midgard. Have you anything you would like Brenna to have?”  
“I do not know. I shall have to ask Eidra. Why are you traveling to Midgard?”  
At Thor's resulting chuckle, Loki smiled into his pillow, “Miss Foster shall be hearing from you, shall she?”  
“Tomorrow we will pull up camp and set out for home,” Thor clapped his hands together, “..and more pleasant pursuits.”  
“Thank Odin,” Loki groaned.


	62. 62

Despite their best efforts, the sun was at its zenith before they put Alheim at their back. They continued on for the remainder of the day late into the evening before they stopped to rest and have a supper of cold rations. Loki had to force himself to hunker down against a tree beside his brother before continuing on to Asgard as the sun lightened the horizon again. More than once, he caught himself falling asleep in the saddle as they made a maddeningly slow course homeward. When at last the gates of the palace swung open for them and they stood again in the south courtyard, it was nigh well dark.   
“Start for home in the morning,” Thor implored him, “ 'Tis late.”  
Loki shook his head, “I will not stay another night away from Eidra.”  
They watched the wagons glide past them for a moment before Loki, perched atop Lightning, nudged him with his foot, “Come morning will you not be on your way to see Jane?”  
Thor frowned, shook his head, “There is much to do before I am freed of my duties,” he gazed up at Loki, “I envy you, brother, so very much, for I well know what awaits me in my own bedchamber.”  
Loki looked to the open gate, then to Thor, “It will not be always so. Do you recall our conversation?”  
Upon their return trip home,Thor had spoken of bringing Sif before the High Council to answer a charge of adultery.  
“And how are you to prove it?”  
When Thor reminded him of the proof from Stark, Loki had wondered aloud if the Council would accept such evidence.  
“What reason have they not to do so?”  
“Simply because the evidence comes from another realm, from practices alien to them.”  
Thor had laughed, “They look upon Midgard with a bit more magnanimity than do you. I will do what I must to prove I am within my rights. I will ask them to dissolve our union.”  
“What will become of Sif if, by chance, they agree to do so?”  
“She will be cast out of the palace, though, for her service to Asgard, I will grant her a house, servants, a stipend. She has grievously wronged me, but 'twas no ones fault our marriage was arranged so inauspiciously.”  
“You are too gracious, my brother.”  
“I must set a proper example, for I am the King.”  
As the spires of Asgard rose into view, Loki nodded in agreement, “An' your will be done.”  
“Rest assured it shall be.”

These were the thoughts which plagued him on his quiet ride home. However, the nearer he drew to the manor house, the further back into his mind, Thor and Sif faded. When at last he dismounted and led Lightning to the stables, the house lay dark and silent.   
He winced at the creak of the front door as he eased it open, closing it as slowly as he could, Lighting a lantern then taking the steps two by two, he climbed the staircase. By the time he closed the bedchamber door behind him, he was giddy with desire, quickly divesting himself of his tunic and breeches, setting his boots gently on the floor beside the door. He slid beneath the sheets beside Eidra, curling himself against her, his hand already reaching around to her mouth with a smile as she screamed into his palm.  
“Eidra,” he whispered into her ear as he let loose his hand and she sat up, turning to him.  
“Loki!” She was upon him at once, crushing the breath from his lungs as he returned the embrace, “What brings you back so soon from Alfheim? Did the fire Jotunn lay down their arms as they witnessed the might of the Asgardian troops?”  
Loki raised an eyebrow, making to rise from the bed, “You would I were still away then? Should I leave again?”  
She shoved him back to the pillows with a giggle, “You dog. You ken my meaning. When you left, you were most grave about the situation. I am only surprised at your swift return. What happened?”  
Loki caressed her face, “Let us leave such stories for the morn. I promise it will be a tale worth waiting for.”  
“Well you should have sent word you were on your way. I would have waited up for you. I have missed you so, my love,” she murmured, “I have worried endlessly.”  
He put his hand to the swell of her belly, kissed her, felt her smile upon his lips,“Can it be that you have indeed grown in the time I have been absent?”  
“The midwife from Rialo, Gretta, paid me a visit upon Ren's behest while you were away. She is of a mind that I am indeed carrying more than one child.”  
“Twice blessed.” He leaned over to the stand beside the bed and turned down the lantern, pulling her close to him where she lay her head upon his chest,  
“Twice as busy,” she sighed, “Must you return to the palace in the morning or might we have some time together?”  
Loki bent his head, breathing in the scent of her hair, “We might have sufficient time together as the King has allowed it so. Let us take a few days in fact. The roads are beginning to dry out. I will put the wheels back onto the wagon then we shall gather the children, give the house servants a few days rest and travel to Rialo to see Sally and Ren before you are too far along to do so safely.”  
He felt her head move, knew she was looking up at him in the darkness, “Truly? We shall have you to ourselves? For how long?”  
“I would say seven days at the most, though you might stay on a bit longer if you wish. I am sure Sally would welcome an extended stay.”  
She tightened her embrace, “We shall see. I like not to be absent from your side if only for the evenings,” all at once, she raised her head from his chest, “You smell of sweat, and leather...in fact you smell like Lightning.”   
Loki made to sit up again, “Forgive me, I was far too eager to reach you this night. Shall I run a bath?”   
“You shall stay right where you are for what is the use of getting cleaned when you will only work up a sweat again,” she scratched her nails gently down his ribs, sending a shiver along his skin that served to rouse him as they spoke of their plans, letting desire carry them away, reuniting with the joy the end of a long absence engenders...

 

….while a world away, the pieces of a puzzle were finally falling into place. David stood at the beginning of the corridor, listening to the low hum that emanated from the stainless steel walls. He'd had to discipline himself as of late, continuing his work as Director under the ever watchful eye of Egan until five p.m. Only then would he allow himself to proceed with his plans, making phone calls, arranging meetings. More often than not, he would find himself late at night in Jesse's old room, lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. On one such evening, he had fallen asleep there, waking up half an hour before shift change. He'd used the back staircases to reach the fourth floor, startling Julia as he burst through the access door into his waiting room disheveled and panting.   
Now, as he brushed his fingertips along the surface of one panel, he felt the tingle, like an electrical charge and he knew it was time for the final phase. From here on out there would be no going back. He would make it work, he had to.   
He turned to Leroy who stood behind him, arms crossed.   
“I've got some calls to make. Expect a new inmate within the next couple of days.”  
“Yes sir.” Leroy stepped to one side following David out of the corridor.   
When his employer's trolley had jumped the tracks, for want of a better metaphor, after Jesse's death, he'd almost considered resigning his position. David had called him into his office on the fourth floor one afternoon. Leroy had sat down on the leather couch as David reclined in the chair behind his desk explaining to Leroay his plans for the near future. Kidnapping a young girl, making her do what he wanted in the name of science and the betterment of those afflicted with mental disorders was most definitely not in Leroy's contract, not even in the fine print. He'd come close to removing his badge, tipping his hat and walking out the front door. Reading his body language, David stood up, “Let me guess, you're thinking right now that they don't pay you enough for this shit, right?”  
Leroy, caught off guard, had nodded.  
“All that is about to change,” David had laughed, offered him a salary jump of twenty thousand a year. Sad to say, he'd buckled almost immediately though, in the admission, his tongue had also been loosened and he'd started to ask questions.   
“Kidnapping is a capital offense. I don't see how you expect to get away with it.”  
David's smile faltered a bit but he'd recovered nicely, “I'm not going to steal into her bedroom and chloroform her. Let's just say I'm going to make her come to me willingly.”  
When Leroy asked how, David waggled his finger at him as if he were a naughty child, “The less you know, the better off you'll be.”  
He had however, given him some minor details. When David mentioned the involvement of the mutant community, Leroy requested extra guards and the relocation of his brother, Leon. Leroy had always known he could be bought for the right price but Leon, he was too honest and Leroy knew it. David agreed to reassign him to one of the third floor wards where the permanents were kept, the catatonics. An easy assignment to keep him out of harms way. If something ever happened to Leon, he would never be able to face their mother again. For now, though, he had nothing more to do than sit back and wait for the next surprise.

Anna glanced at the grandfather clock for the thousandth time, paused, then returned to the tune she'd been humming all day, the title tune to “Dad's Army”. She'd awakened with it, she'd likely go to bed with it. Hopefully it would abate the next day or until she caught it on the telly again. It was the only sure way to shove it out of her head.   
Martin had assured her he'd be home by seven that evening and it was now six forty-five. She wiped the last figurine, a little china angel with a hymnal in her hands, mouth open singing praises to the heavens, and put it in the lighted glass cabinet, closing the door with a melodic click. The sound of the doorbell put a smile on her face.  
“Coming!” She called, smoothing her blouse as she trotted through the dining room to the foyer.   
Martin had said he would be coming home with some purchases, more antique books for the library. He'd asked her to accompany him but she had begged off. Those auction houses were always full of old dust and a stuffy nose was the last thing she wanted for a night out. She'd told him to keep an eye out for old “Nancy Drew Hardy Boys” mysteries and promised to hold down the fort until he returned.  
She threw open the door expecting to see Martin standing there his arms full of boxes and was taken aback by the stranger standing just beyond the light of the large pendant lamp hanging above the front steps.   
“May I help you?” Anna shaded her eyes with her hand.  
The voice from the darkness was silky smooth with a slight accent, Russian, perhaps? “This is the Rutledge residence?”  
“It is the house of Professor Martin Rutledge.”  
“Ah I have meeting with him. Is he in?” The visitor emerged into the light and Anna had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming out loud as the visitor began to pull a glove off one hand. Over the years she'd worked for Martin, she'd met her share of the “Oddities” as she'd termed them but for the most part, their differences weren't obvious. Rarely did they show on the outside but there were always exceptions. Standing before her was just such a one.  
The man, if he was to be called anything, had red skin. Not reddish, nor the rosy blush of youth. Pure red. He possessed a shock of midnight black hair and a goatee. When he smiled at her, his teeth seemed to glow against the darkness of his skin. As he extended his hand to her to shake, she saw that his hand too was red and she shivered as she took it, staring at the manicured nails.  
“Come in,” She let go quickly, stepping back to let him in, closing the door behind him, “Professor Rutledge is out but he is expected by seven. You're welcome to wait for him in the sitting room, Mister...”  
The visitor smiled at her again, “Azazel, please.”   
In the full light of the house, he was even more intimidating, towering over her by a full foot and she found herself continually looking over her shoulder at him as he followed her into the sitting room.  
“We don't usually use this room unless we've company so it might be a bit cold. Would you like me to build a fire?”  
“No need,” he purred, and she realized the pupils of his eyes were almost entirely coal black. He tilted his head, “You have questions?”  
She felt herself blush, “No sir, please excuse me...I..well...”  
“My appearance startles you?”  
“A bit yes.”  
“Some people say I look like Bible's version of Satan, but see..,” he picked up his foot to reveal a polished black shoe, “No cloven hoof, so is okay, yes?”  
“Are...you a mutant?”  
He clapped his hands together, “So many questions. You see anyone else looking like me before?”  
Her giggle ended in a snort which crinkled the corners of his eyes with mirth, “Never.”  
“And now is time for my question. You say the Professor is not in?”  
“Not at the moment but he should be soon.”  
The smile drained from his face, “Good.”   
As his hand clasped her wrist she screamed. When they disappeared into thin air, the only sound in the house, her echo until that too, ceased, leaving dead silence in its wake.

He shifted the boxes in his arms, trying to elbow the doorbell first, then poking out his thumb, only succeeding in smashing it between the doorframe and the box he was trying to keep from slipping out of his grasp.  
“Bugger me,” he muttered, kicking the door with his foot, “Anna!”  
He waited for a minute. When there came no response, he kicked it again, “Ann..na!”  
The stoop was wet from the rainstorm earlier that evening and he was reluctant to set the boxes down but in the end he could wait no longer. He set them down as close to the door as he could and turned the handle, backing into the house, dragging the boxes over the doorstep and sliding them to the side so he could close the door behind him.  
“Anna! Didn't you hear me at the bloody door?”  
He took off his coat, hanging it on the coat rack by the door, then headed into the sitting room still calling to her, “Anna? Where in the world are you?”  
Receiving no answer, he started to search the house. By the time he'd come back around to the sitting room, a slight prickle had begun at the back of his neck.   
“She's probably upstairs asleep,” he reassured himself aloud as he trotted up the stairs. A quick glance into his bedroom and he was as close to panic as he'd been in years. He raced to the bathroom, not caring if she was on the loo as he swung the door wide, ducking back out, his voice tremulous as he mused, “Maybe the greenhouse?”  
As he made the front door, his hand reaching for his coat, the phone rang and he jumped as if bitten, a hand to his chest. He pivoted around, nearly tripping over the boxes of books, catching himself on the stairway railing to stumble into the sitting room until he reached the phone lying on the couch nestled between the cushions.  
“Hello? Who is this? Anna?” he answered in one great breath, the voice at the other end of the line making him drop down onto the couch.  
“It's not Anna.”  
“David?” Martin took his glasses off, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “I...I..you're the last person I expected to hear from, forgive me if I sound shocked.”  
“You sound more that shocked. You sound positively beside yourself.”  
Martin felt a rush of adrenaline at the condescending tone in David's voice.  
“Indeed I am. I can't find my housekeeper. I can't think of where she's gotten off to at this hour.”  
“At three in the afternoon?” Martin heard a faint crackle on the line, along with David's soft laughter, “Wait, it's seven there isn't it?”   
“Yes only just.”  
“It's rather hard to misplace a whole person.”  
“One would think...,” he paused, “David, whatever did you call me for?” He leaned forward to look towards the keyboard beside the coat rack. Her keys were still there.  
“Why for the same reason.”  
Martin frowned, “I'm sorry, I'm not following you.”  
“I've called you about Anna.”  
All at once Martin felt his stomach turn inside out. He stood up from the couch, taking wobbly steps towards the kitchen, hoping he could make it to the sink in time before he lost his supper. He would hate to make Anna clean up after him.  
He turned the faucet on, slamming the phone down into the dishrack and fumbling his glasses from his face as he vomited into the white porcelain basin once, twice until his stomach spasmed and settled. He splashed water onto his face, sucking it into his mouth from his hand and spitting it out. Then he heard a tiny voice, “Martin!”  
He fumbled the phone from the dishrack, “Where is she?”  
He heard David roar with laughter. It was the most terrifying sound he'd ever heard, “She's fine.”  
“I didn't ask how she was, I asked where!” He shouted clenching the handset tightly, as if he could squeeze the information from David, “Is this your idea of a sick joke?”  
“It's no joke. I needed a favor from you and I knew you would need incentive.”  
“A favor...” Martin felt weak in the knees again, “What sort of favor would this be that you'd take an innocent woman from her home...”  
“Innocence is no defense against misfortune. Trust me, I know. Now all I need for you to do is deliver a letter.”  
“That's it, could you not send it by post?”  
“Not where this one has to go, which is why I need you.”  
Martin's stomach gurgled again and he gripped the edge of the sink, “Where must this letter be delivered to?”  
“I need you to deliver it to Asgard.”  
“Good Lord,” he whispered sliding down the cabinets below the sink to sit on the linoleum, “I haven't been there in years. I doubt I would know...I can't....”  
“Martin, need I remind you of the friends I have. How very easy it would be for Anna to disappear off the face of the earth without a trace?”  
“You've gone mad, David, as insane as your patients...”  
He expected David to rant and rave but his answer came back calm, smooth, “On the contrary, Martin, I've had my eyes opened to a miracle, one that I want to share with those who need it. You have no idea what I know. If Anna isn't enough of a reason to help me, what do you say to a cure for mental illness?”  
“I'd say the first person to receive treatment should be you.” He knew he was treading dangerous waters but in his present state all good sense had fled.  
“And perhaps I will but nothing can go forward without your help.”  
Martin closed his eyes, resting his forehead in his hand, “It's been so long since I've visited Alfheim let alone Asgard. I've not seen it since I was a boy.”  
“I'm sure you'll remember once you see it. Everything will come back to you, including Anna if you do your job right.”  
“I deliver the blasted letter and you return Anna to me?”  
“When the whole affair is finished, yes. She'll be well taken care of, don't worry.”  
Martin hefted himself up to stand, “Alright, agreed.”  
“Go outside to your mailbox and look inside. There will be a letter there. It's addressed only by name to the person to whom it needs to go.”  
David opened the door and stepped outside. It had begun to rain again. He ran to the post box at the end of the drive, reached in, feeling for the letter, and tucking it under his arm, ran back to the house where he turned the letter over to read the name, “Eidra.” in plain script.  
The name was familiar, eerily so and he wracked his brains even as he shook his head, “David, is this person Asgardian?”  
“So it says.”  
“So what says?” He mumbled, “If they're Asgardian, they're certainly not going to be able to read the Queen's English.”  
“Damn,” David swore, “Then you'll just have to transcribe it onto another paper.”  
Martin brought the letter into his study, searching for a letter opener in the drawer of his desk, “And when I've finished the letter and arrived in Asgard, tell me how I'm supposed to find this person unless of course they've started the post in the other nine realms.”  
“She'll be easy to find.”  
Martin paused, the open envelope in his hand. He was now certain he'd heard the name, “She, this Eidra is a she?”  
“Yes, I know you'll have no trouble finding her.”  
“How so?”  
“When you get to Asgard, ask for the whereabouts of a man named Loki.”  
“Jesus Christ....” The letter fluttered from his hand to the floor where he snatched it up recalling with perfect clarity, the night the young man had arrived on his doorstep, begging his help in restoring the woman he loved.  
“You know who he is. How could you not know unless you've been lying to me all these years.”  
He could have said yes, he could have told David he had been lying, that he wasn't from Alfheim but then what would happen to Anna?  
“I know full well who he is. Do you?”  
“According to mythology he's a god. According to the New York Times, he's a monster.”  
Martin scanned the letter, “And you want me to deliver this letter just as it's worded here?”  
“Yes,”   
He sensed irritation in David's voice, “And you've not the slightest worry about him?”  
“Not if you deliver the letter only to her, though I doubt I would worry very much about him, according to what I know, he has his weaknesses, he's not immortal.”  
Here Martin had to smile, “Indeed, then again neither are you,” but David ignored his reply.  
“Transcribe the letter and deliver it. The quicker you do this, the better off Anna will be.”  
“I have your word?” Martin had taken out a sheet of plain paper from the drawer and after a moment, started to rewrite the letter slowly in old script, nearly forgotten. It would take time not only in writing the letter but in delivering it.   
“You realize I've not ridden a horse in thirty years or more. I will take time to reach Asgard and find this woman. How will you know if I've done my chore?”  
“You will. You don't have a choice.”  
Martin pushed his glasses up onto his nose, “It would seem I do not.”  
“Just do what I ask and consider it a good deed. Think of all the people you'll be helping in the future.”  
Martin stopped writing. He needed to concentrate, the letters in his mind were old, faded, “I can't think straight. Can't write and talk at the same time.”  
“I'll let you get to it then. I'll be in touch.”  
The line went dead. Martin stared at the phone in his hand, wondering if he'd just had a waking dream. He almost called out to Anna again, then he looked down at his desk, at the letter smoothed out, written in flowing script and a tear spilled from his eye as he began to transcribe in earnest.


	63. 63

Loki was awakened the next day to Fen jumping onto the bed.  
“PAPA!”   
Across the bedchamber in her crib, Cait rolled over to her belly, pulling herself to her knees to peer through the spindles, adding her voice to the dawn, “Mamamam.”   
“There will be no sleeping in this morn,” Eidra sighed as she rose to fetch Cait, depositing her beside Loki. As he watched Fen and Cait play together he nudged Eidra with his foot where she was sitting at the end of the bed, “I have missed this so very much. Have you told them where we are going?”  
Fen looked up at Loki, waiting.  
“No, I have not told them we are going to see Sally and Ren.”  
Fen was at once atop his chest, “When Papa?”  
“As early as this morning if we are able to pull ourselves together and pack.”  
Fen turned to Eidra, “Mama, will you pack for me?”  
Eidra frowned good naturedly, “Just like a man. Expecting a woman to do everything for him.”  
“But Mama, you always do everything for me.”  
Loki hid his face in the pillow as he laughed, her swat at his behind making him laugh harder. It felt so good to be with his family once more.

“But sire, you have only just returned and now you are leaving again?”  
Hal lifted the tunic from the trunk in the middle of the bedroom floor, refolding it properly as Loki tossed in another tunic. Hal lifted it up as well with a cluck of the tongue, “Really, I should be the one to pack your garments properly.”  
“I am well capable, Hal. You will be given time off with pay. How can one argue that?” Loki handed Hal a pair of breeches which he gratefully took and began to fold.  
“At least here I am of use.” Hal paused and Loki eyed him.  
“Continue.”  
Hal laid the breeches in the trunk, “Do not trouble yourself with the trials of a manservant, Sire.”  
“Nonsense, if you are troubled how can you do you job properly? Out with it, man.”  
Hal seemed about to open his mouth when Eidra sailed into the room, “Helgi is helping Fen pack,” she leaned over the trunk. “Save room for my dresses.”  
“Yes, Milady.”  
“Hal, continue on.” Loki prodded though Hal's face twisted in embarrassment and his eyes flitted to Eidra.  
“I prefer the hustle and bustle of the household. The complaining of that curmudgeon, Gretten. The twitter of Ingrid and Milady to what I am faced with each night..honestly, Sire it is highly irregular to speak of one's private life to one's employer...”  
Loki raised an eyebrow and Eidra stood waiting, “Well there is nothing for it now. Speak your mind. What do you mean?”  
“Silence, all I ever hear, or rather do not hear, is silence. Vesta is a mouse of a woman, beautiful, but still a mouse.”  
Eidra nodded, “It is in her nature, I have tried to draw her out to no avail. She panics whenever I speak to her outside of discussing the household chores.”  
“Exactly,” Hal became animated, “And at night she sits before the fire and sews or reads. One could hear a pin drop.”  
Eidra laid a dress on the bed and began to fold it, “You could come with us. A week in the country might do you good.”  
“I could not leave her here alone. She needs me,” he slowed, thoughts drifting as he lifted Eidra's dress and carefully placed it in the trunk. Then coming to himself he stood with a bow. “I am honored by your invitation, Milady.”  
Eidra handed him another dress, “I will continue to work on her when we return. I found a common ground with Gretten, surely I can find one with Vesta.”  
Hal gave a small smile, “You are most kind, Milady. Let us hope for success.”

As they were loading the trunks onto the wagon, Eidra sidled up to Loki, “Was I ever a mouse?”  
Loki brushed his lips to her temple, “At first yes, until you found your voice.”  
“And now I am rarely silent.”  
Eidra poked him in the side as Loki bit his lip, looking away, “You rogue! You shall pay for that later.”  
Fen yanked at Loki's hand as he bent to kiss Eidra, “Papa, there is no time for kisses. The wagon is loaded!”  
“Fen!” Helgi called, “Leave them alone. Come help me with your sister.”  
Eidra looked over Loki's shoulder, smiling at Helgi who merely rolled her eyes, “Come on, my little warrior, I shall hand Cait up to you.”  
After everyone was finally settled in the wagon, any last minute issues taken care of, they were ready. Eidra had taken up Blackberry's reins as she struggled a bit in the soft mud to turn the wagon. Loki sat astride Lightning waiting for the wagon to come around when a gruff voice behind him made him turn. It was Gretten with a satchel around his shoulder. He bowed low, “Sire, could I beg your favor?”  
“What is it?”  
Gretten reddened, pushing at the mud with his boot, “Seeing as you are going to Rialo, could I trouble you to carry a letter the village of Andara?”  
Loki reached down, taking the letter Gretten held up to him, “To whom do I give it?”  
Gretten lowered his head until his chin touched his chest, “Berta, my sister.”  
“She lives in town?”  
“Yes Sire. I wanted to tell her I was coming to visit her, seeing as you've given us some time to ourselves.”  
“Very well,” Loki stuffed the letter into his satchel, motioning to Eidra who by then was sitting with her arms crossed, reins in her lap, shaking her head.  
“Gretten, why did you not tell me? I asked you only this morn what you were going to be about while we were gone.  
Gretten shrugged, “It is not for a servant to trouble the Mistress..”  
“Oh Gretten,” Eidra cried, “Get up on the wagon, Odin's beard!”  
Gretten glanced up at Loki, trying to gauge his reaction, looked again to Eidra. “I could never presume to....”  
“You shall get in the wagon and make yourself comfortable,” Eidra pointed behind her. “There is no need to walk when we are going in the same direction.”  
When Gretten again looked up to Loki, he was gesturing at the wagon, “Do as she says so that we may be off. Be warned though, Fen will talk you into a stupor,”  
“As if he has not a hundred times before,” Gretten smiled, climbing into the back of the wagon.  
“...and the idle chatter of the women may turn your head to mush. Now let us go.”  
Fen crawled over Helgi's lap and settled himself beside Gretten, “Hi.”   
Gretten caught Eidra's smile as she slapped the reins and the wagon lurched forward.

As they rolled along down the road, Loki told Eidra what had happened in Alfheim, about Velos and Marwen, Freyr's intervention. How he had managed to save the two young lovers whose plight had so mirrored theirs and in doing so felt the smallest measure of redemption where he had failed Eidra so long ago. The look of adoration she gave him made his heart swell with pride, and more, with love. H felt complete. Save Brenna's return to Asgard, he needed nothing more in his life. He determined then and there, when they returned from their sabbatical, he would write a letter to Brenna, asking her to come home for a short time, take a break from her schooling on Midgard. He would give her what she wanted. He would take her to Asgard, introduce her to the court, perhaps find her a rich husband. After all, she could hardly be serious about a boy like Chase.  
When she was finally returned into the arms of her family, he would endeavor again to give her the Uruz to keep though he would miss it sorely. As he had risen above Eidra the evening past, she had slipped the Uruz back over his neck with a whispered “Welcome home”  
He patted its familiar shape beneath his tunic with a sad smile as he glanced over at her.  
“What are you thinking of?” She tilted her head at him.  
He winked at her, “I was thinking of last night.”   
“You dog,” she scolded him though she flushed with the recollection.  
“Tell me, what else kept you occupied while I was away?”  
From the back of the wagon came a grunt, “She pestered me endlessly in the kitchen.”  
“And you did not tell me to leave.” Eidra called back to Gretten.  
“What would be the use? You would not listen.”  
“Do not believe him, Loki. He picked my brains every chance he had and now he believes himself a better cook than I.”  
Loki looked behind him to the wagon bed where Gretten was fighting a smile, “When we return home, we shall have to put such a boast to the test then.”  
“...and I wrote a letter to Brenna. I want you to take it back to Asgard with you so Thor may bring it to Midgard.” Eidra sighed, “I asked her when she was to come home.”  
Loki chuckled at this, “How ironic. I was pondering writing her a letter asking her the same thing.”  
“You should,” She nodded, “Perhaps it will sway her to hear our pleas in unison.”  
“She is stubborn that one,” Helgi clucked her tongue, “You would do better to throw a sack over her head and drag her back to Asgard.”  
“She will come home when she is ready.” Loki assured them even as he tried to reassure himself.

 

They left Gretten off in Andara with a promise to fetch him on the way back through. When at last they covered the last few rods to Rialo, it was late afternoon.   
Sally heard the wagon stop outside the front door as she was drawing the bread out of the bread oven inset into the side of the hearth. She looked over at Ren who shrugged. “A customer?”  
At the knock on the door, Ren opened it, shouting aloud, “Gods! Loki, Eidra!”  
Sally dropped the bread pan on the table and rushed to the door, “Blessed be!”  
She hugged Eidra gingerly, ushering them in, taking Cait from Helgi and fussing over her as Fen clutched at her skirts.  
“We came to pay you an extended visit. Loki has been given some time away from the palace and we chose to spend it with you. I do hope we have not put you out only we decided to set out just the day past” Eidra hugged Ren.  
“You know full well you are always welcome, poppet,” Sally laughed, “It will be like old times. We'll knit and play games, find ye some cloth for a new dress. We can visit the graves. The snow has given way and ye can meet the young couple who took over yer cottage. They're darlin' folk with a little girl just turned two. They'd be thrilled to have the prince grace them with his presence. Oh this is just what we needed. 'Tis become powerful drear. Spring cannot come soon enough,” Sally kissed Cait's cheek and she giggled.  
“Oh listen to ye. She's grown so. Come sit now, we'll set the table and find comfortable arrangements.”  
Eidra smiled, felt Loki's hand caress her neck as he leaned into her shoulder, “Like being home again, is it not?”  
“Indeed,” She put her hand to his cheek feeling his lips brush the skin behind her ear before she bustled off to help Sally and Ren.

On the morn of their fourth day in Rialo, Sally, Eidra and Loki set out for the old cottage leaving Helgi and Ren in charge of the children.   
“I hope Cait has stopped crying by now,” They had listened to her wail until the edge of town when either they'd been far enough out of earshot or she'd given up.  
“Ah she'll be fine, sure and she's trying to make ye feel bad so ye'll turn around to fetch her,” Sally patted Eidra's arm.  
The small cottages and fields rolled by, Eidra waving to people she saw, neighbors who stopped their chores to talk. More than once were they asked if they were coming back to Rialo. As they continued on, Eidra nudged Loki, “See, they did not ask me. They asked us. How can you say we were not welcome here?”  
“Nonsense,” Sally agreed, then pointing as they neared, “There she is.”  
The roof had been given a new thatch. The outer wall repainted white. Smoke curled from the chimney hole and Eidra felt an overwhelming sadness as she recalled the happy times spent within.  
They pulled into the dooryard where Loki dismounted to help Eidra and Sally down from the wagon as the front door opened and a young man appeared, wiping his hands on a cloth, “May I help you?”  
Seeing Sally wave as she stepped to the ground, he smiled, “Sally, welcome....” but when Loki turned to face him, the color seemed to drain from his ruddy face and he dropped to one knee, “Your Highness, I...I did not know you were....Lilith!” He called over his shoulder as Loki put up his hands,  
“Please, stand up....”  
“Edmund, your highness.”  
Lilith appeared in the doorway, a toddler with blond hair in braids hanging onto her hand, “Edmund, must you stand there shouting? Odin's.....,” and at once she started to drop to her knee as well but Loki stopped her.  
“No! There is no need, Eidra?” he called as Eidra stepped forward to clasp Lilith's hands in hers, “We wished to visit our old cottage, we miss it so. I hope we have not intruded.”  
“Your old....cottage?” Edmund clasped his hands together before him, “Sally told us she had lived here with friends but she never....I never thought...”  
“I didn't say who ye were,” Sally whispered to Loki, “ 'Tis not proper to drop names, if ye ken.”  
Lilith dropped in a little curtsey, “Please, our house is yours. Come in while I put on a kettle.”  
Eidra sighed to herself, rubbing her swollen belly as she watched the pretty robust young woman usher the little girl back into the cottage, wondering if she looked as old as she felt but soon Loki was taking her arm and they walked inside behind Edmund and Sally.

 

The royal guard stared over the edge of the parapet as he shouted down to the stranger standing at the gates. “Come again?”  
“I say, which way to Asgard!”  
The guardsman rubbed his chin in confusion. Didn't everyone know the way to Asgard?  
“Why you follow the road you just left to the north and keep going, you cannot miss it.”  
Martin nodded, “About how long do you imagine It'll take to get there?”  
“On foot? Two days hence at the least. On horseback, a day riding steady. Do you not have a horse?”  
“Ah no, why, have you?”  
The guardsman laughed, “Not for the likes of a rogue such as yourself. Move along.”  
Martin touched the brim of his sunhat, “Ah, do give my regards to King Freyr.”  
When he reached the road he'd turned from, he looked about. So much had changed. It had been a miracle he'd recalled where Freyr's castle was as he stepped onto Alfari soil.   
“At the very least I'll not freeze,” he sighed, glancing up at the sun, feeling the warmth of spring seeping through his jacket, “North it is.”   
He adjusted his backpack and headed down the road, keeping to the brown grass along the side to avoid the muddy ruts.

 

Eidra touched the stones of the small cairn, “He lived but a short time.”  
Lilith nodded, her hands clasped before her, “I lost two babies before fortune favored us with Birte.”  
“However did you keep your heart from breaking?” Eidra took Lilith's hand and stroked it.  
“I did not. It broke again and again. Then it healed.”  
Loki had knelt on one knee to brush dirt and errant grass from Chris's stone. He'd meant to refine, smooth down the rough hewn letters come this spring, perhaps he would return to do so. He felt Eidra's fingers run through his hair, a shadow cross the stone and he sighed. “Perhaps we shall meet again when I cross over even though his belief in the afterlife was not mine. I can but hope.”  
Eidra tugged gently at his loose ponytail, “And I with you.”  
Loki stood brushing the dirt from his breeches as he turned to Edmund, “What do you expect to plant this season?”  
“Barley, Sire. I have walked the field many times over since we settled here.”  
Loki nodded, “Good, a change in crops is a welcome respite. We last planted oats.”  
As Loki looked down the path towards the fields, Eidra saw his face darken.  
“We should be getting back to Rialo.”  
Loki turned to her, “What?”  
“Cait has probably worn Helgi and Ren to tears,” In truth she wished to remove Loki from what she sensed was an overwhelming melancholia and to her relief, he gave a nod, “Indeed, this place holds many memories for me, sad to recall.”  
When Edmund made to apologize, he held up a hand, “It is not of your doing. With the bitter comes also the sweet.”  
Once back at the cottage, they thanked Lilith and Edmund for their hospitality, declining their offer to stay for the evening meal and headed back to Rialo though at a slower pace as Eidra had complained of being sore.  
“On the morrow, I am going to ride to Asgard. I promised Thor I would return before the sixth day had passed.” Loki felt Eidra stiffen as she leaned into his side.  
“So soon?”  
“So soon? It has been well nigh a week as we agreed. If you wish to stay a bit longer with Sally and Ren, I will return for you two days hence. You will be happy of the extra time and I will rest easier knowing you are among friends.”  
“Ye know yer welcome to stay as long as ye like,” Sally chimed in, her arm about Eidra's shoulders, “The house sings now. The children have been a joy.”  
Eidra smiled. Sally had been up early every morning playing, singing with Cait and Fen.   
“I do so wish you would come to live with us again,” Eidra murmured.  
“Someday, me poppet, I couldn't leave Ren now if I wanted to. She grows older every day and I am loathe to let her struggle with her wares. It seems I'm destined to be caretaker once again.”  
“It is settled then, I will see that everything is well at the palace then I shall return for you.”  
Eidra nodded, whispered in his ear, “Thank you.”   
He lifted her hand and kissed it, clutching it to his chest, “Anything for you, my love, anything.”

 

Martin tipped his boot and out tumbled a few pebbles. He tapped the bottom for good measure, laying the boot beside him on the stone wall where he now sat looking at the distant skyline of Asgard. The unseasonable warmth gave a haze to the city even as it tugged at his heart. Like some barely remembered dream, the more time he spent in Alfheim, the more familiar the landscape grew as if clearing away the dust of a hundred years with each forward step.  
It also gave him a new perspective, the years seeming to peel away from his soul as well. When he was finished with this whole sordid business, he was going to take a leap of faith. He was going to wrap up his affairs on Earth, sell the house. Hell he might even donate it to charity, push his little gas guzzler into the Thames. Then he was going to get down on one knee, beg Anna to make an honest man of him and bring her to Alfheim, praying that she wouldn't lose her mind in the process. It was the only sure way to make certain something like this never happened again.  
First, however, he needed to deliver the letter. He patted his backpack, looking at the sun as it began to touch the horizon. He would never make the city by nightfall. A wagon had passed him earlier telling him of an inn further up the road, he would stop there for the night and then continue on in the morning. He felt in his pants pocket for the old coins nestled there. He'd kept them as precious mementos from his boyhood. Now he wasn't even sure they were still legal tender here in Asgard. He slipped his boot back on, shouldered his pack and started down the road again. If not for the seriousness of the situation, this would be a grand adventure but all he could think of was Anna, somewhere unknown, terrified, alone and he quickened his pace as the last of the sun dipped below the distant mountain peaks.

In the pre-dawn hours, Loki slipped away before anyone was awake, save Eidra who handed him Brenna's letter and kissed him goodbye. He'd made good time alone riding Lightning but the sun was well past its zenith before he dismounted in the courtyard and ran up the steps into the palace. The halls seemed eerily still as he turned to the royal guards who stood at either side of the great doors. “Where is my brother?”  
The guard to his left bowed, “Your Majesty, the council is in session at this time. The King is in attendance.”  
As Loki neared the great hall, he could hear Thor's booming voice as he answered one of the council members. Other members of the court were milling about in the corridor trying to hear what was being said, endeavoring to see the goings on through the open doors. The hall itself was full. Aesir at the left side of the room, Asgardian citizens to the right, The High Council at the end of the great hall seated along the banquet table.   
In the center, he was shocked to see Odin, leaning forward intently. Before the table, he spied Thor though his view was hampered by the crowd and he began to move forward. When people realized he was there, they bowed, clearing a path before him.  
“Your Majesty,” came the whispers here and there until he was standing at the front of the crowd. One of the royal guardsmen noticed him and was about to announce his presence but Loki put a finger to his lips and the guardsman fell quiet with a curious look on his face.

“You heard the queen mother!” Thor bellowed, “She saw the queen prostrate over Magnus's body when it was brought back to Asgard! What further evidence do you need of her treachery?”  
A voice Loki knew full well rang out in the hall. He craned his neck to see where everyone's gaze had led.  
“What would you have me do?” Sif stood at Thor's right hand though she kept distance between them, “You who wished only to use me as a means to an heir, having had your fill of maidservant and noblewomen alike.”  
“From the day we were wed onward, you have rejected me! You saw my hand the first step upon the path to the throne of Asgard but when an heir was slow in coming, you sought to increase your odds by prowling 'mongst the barracks. You are a cold, calculating woman!”  
“Then why seem you so taken aback by my confession? You ask me why I do what I have done? Because there was no love between us and so I found it elsewhere as you have done yourself!”  
“When your endless rebuffs and icy bedsheets drove me from my bedchamber, I do confess I did thus stray but I left no bastards in my wake!”  
There were murmurs of assent through the crowd as Loki watched Sif pound her chest with her fists, “Would you have had me elope with Magnus,” she rasped, “Humiliate you before your subjects? Was it not kinder to remain by your side for the sake of the realm?”  
Were you a commoner, you could have petitioned to dissolve the union, left with Magnus for the ends of the nine realms but you are not a commoner,” Thor roared, his face crimson, “You are Queen of Asgard and as such are governed by a different set of rules!”  
Sif seemed poised to retaliate but Odin's voice rose above the others, “The reasons are undoubtedly endless, however, we are not here to debate those facts. You have sought to raise a bastard to the throne of Asgard, you have been found guilty of adultery and high treason to the crown.”  
Odin's stare bore down upon Sif. He was more lucid today, as if his former glory had been restored to him by this crisis, but his tremors, seen even from a distance, belied the still present truth.  
When Loki looked from Odin to his brother, Thor was staring at him, his jaw set, his gaze grim. Loki nodded to him, saw his face soften, nearly crumble. Odin's words came back to him then, high treason. Producing a bastard, committing adultery were certainly reasons for dissolving a union but they were not high treason. Something had happened in his absence but he dared not ask the crowd about him. Instead he returned his attention to the proceedings.  
“And what will you do now?” Sif cried, moving closer to him, her hands curled into claws, “You reject the only son you have known because you choose to believe the Midgardian's black magic and so you have no heir! When you die, there will be infighting and civil unrest....”  
“There is still time to produce an heir! I am in my prime yet should it be that I fail, rest assured the throne will remain in the house of Odin!”  
Suddenly, all eyes seemed to be looking at him as Sif's laughter echoed through the hall, “The house of Odin will be represented by the discarded son of a Jotunn and a servant girl! This you accept over the son of a warrior and a queen?”  
Had he been standing beside Thor, he would have spat in her face and damn the consequences but Thor was already upon her, leaning down, face inches from her own. “I accept the son of a son of Odin and a princess over the bastard of a whore and a traitor to the crown!”  
Odin had now risen unsteadily to his feet with the aid of a manservant at his elbow, his hand slamming down upon the table before him, “Enough! The High Council has heard all it needs to make a decision. We will retreat to discuss what will be done and re-adjourn before sunset.”  
The council members stood and began to file from of the room as the crowds started to shift. He saw Thor move from his place before the long table without so much as a backwards glance at Sif who remained staring at the floor, flanked by two royal guards.  
Loki pushed through the crowd to reach Thor who had been stopped by some of the Aesir. When he neared, Thor reached out and grabbed his arm.  
“Excuse me, I must talk to my brother.”  
Thor guided him away from the crowd, searching for a quiet place and found it on the balcony where they had stood not so very long ago to talk after the recognizing ceremony for Fen and Cait.  
“Thank Odin you have returned,” Thor embraced him roughly, then held him at arms length, “I wanted to send a messenger to fetch you here but there was no time.”  
“I was of the opinion you were going to wait for my return to start proceedings against Sif.”  
Thor bowed his head, “And I would have, had not she made an attempt upon my life.”  
Loki put a hand on Thor's shoulder, “Surely you cannot mean it.”  
“Indeed brother,” Thor leaned on the railing, his long hair obscuring his face, “While I slept. Had she not stumbled in the darkness, she might have succeeded. I found her with the dagger in her hand, standing above me.”  
Loki leaned back against the railing, arms crossed as he watched the crowd mill about waiting for the Council to return, “What now then? What will the Council do?”  
Thor gripped the marble railing tight, “Flog her, imprison her for the rest of her days. She is of noble birth and crowned a queen. The Aesir have already made their wishes clear.”  
Loki frowned, “On Midgard, kings and queens have lost their heads for such crimes, perhaps we should adopt their ways.”  
Thor stood straight, looked behind him, “I do not wish to see her dead for what good is punishment if it does not teach right from wrong?” he paused, “I am glad you are returned to us. Did you enjoy your time away?”  
“I did,” he couldn't help the smile that sprang to his lips, “Eidra and the children have remained in Rialo. I am to return to fetch them.”  
“When?”   
“I intended to do so two days hence. I would leave here, reopen the manor and ride back to the village to escort them. Eidra must be careful when she travels.”  
“Did I tell you how greatly I envy you?”  
Realizing how his own life had changed from cursed to charmed, seeing Thor's mirror him in the opposite, Loki felt a stab of guilt.  
“Perhaps all will change now.”  
“It must,” Thor ran his fingers through his hair.  
“It will,” Loki waved him back towards the crowd, “For the better.”

“You will be flogged,”   
The gasp that spread through the crowd contrasted with the stone faces of the Aesir and the Council.  
“The lashes shall number not less than two hundred. Thereafter you shall be imprisoned until the end of your days or until the King sees fit to pardon you whichever may come first.”  
Sif had been standing quietly, her head dropped into her hands in defeat.  
“What of my son?” she muttered.  
The Council member who had been standing beside her reading the parchment aloud, leaned closer to her, “Speak plainly.”  
“WHAT OF MY SON!?” She roared as he stumbled backwards.  
The Council member held the paper up before him again with a slight trembling of his hand, “He shall be raised by the Aesir here in the castle. He is an innocent, the fault of his parentage cannot rest on his head. Therefore, your name shall be stricken from his birth scroll so that he may not be marred by scandal.”  
“NO! He shall remember my name because it shall be on every tongue wherever he goes. He will always be my child. You may wipe my name from every parchment, lock me away for a millenia but you shall not be free of me! I will still be here, waiting, beneath your feet!”  
The Council member nodded to the royal guards who flanked her. They reached for her hands, her wrists now shackled together and she flailed at them wildly, the chains taking up an almighty clatter until they were able to take her up by her arms.  
“You shall never silence me!”  
The royal guardsmen began to drag Sif from the great hall as Loki looked to Thor. He'd turned alabaster pale, her screams furrowing his brow ever deeper as he turned to follow the guardsmen on their way to the arena. He trudged through the crowd, stopping before Loki.  
“Will you not come with me to bear witness?”  
Loki felt rooted to the floor. He wanted to run to the stables, grab Lightning and ride at a full gallop until he reached Rialo. He wanted to strip off his shirt and lay the lash to Sif's back himself for her unconscionable acts, her bold insult to his family. He wanted to guide his brother away from the painful spectacle that was about to take place, turn back time.  
“Do not abandon me brother when my need for you is greatest.”  
Loki moved through the crowd to Thor's side patting him on the shoulder and receiving a gentle smile in return.  
“Thank you Loki,” Thor bowed to him as they continued out of the great hall towards the screams still echoing down the corridor.


	64. 64

Martin had awakened obscenely late, dressed and left the inn. The night before, he had picked the brains of the innkeeper, a heavyset short gray haired woman in a black dress and apron which looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. He'd started by asking about Eidra whom the woman had confessed she'd heard of but had never seen. When he had asked if she knew where Eidra lived, she had admitted she didn't know. “The thing to do would be to go to Asgard and ask about. I've heard tell they live outside the city but I know not where.”  
He thanked her for her advice, being greatly relieved. He had hoped against hope that she wouldn't say they lived in the palace or all would be lost.  
He kept putting one foot in front of the other until at last he arrived at the crossroads watching people, wagons, file in and out of the massive open gates of the walled city. Plucking up the courage, he flagged down a woman in a small cart filled with cages of clucking, chirping chickens.   
“Excuse me?”  
The woman reined in her little bay, “Yes?”  
“Ah, forgive me. I am looking for a woman..”  
The young woman sat back, shocked, “How rude!”  
Martin paused, confused, then laughed, “Oh no, no, please allow me to finish. I am looking for a woman named Eidra, you've doubtless heard of her.”  
“If by the name you mean, I have heard of a few such. It is an Alfari name. If by the person herself, do you mean the wife of the prince regent Loki?”  
Here Martin paused, what if the woman were to announce to her friends that a man was looking for the prince regent's wife? What if the general alarm was sounded?   
There you go again, Martin, thinking like a Midgardian.  
“Ah yes, do they reside in the palace,” Martin smiled at her, “I'm an old friend and would like to visit with her.”  
“They do not reside in the palace. They took up residence in the old Ericson Manor south of the city a couple moons ago.”  
Martin let out a deep breath, realized he'd been holding it in, “Ah then, I keep along the road I've been traveling. About how far have I to go?”  
“On foot, I would say near to a half day's journey. Pity you do not possess a horse.”  
Martin bowed to her, “That is my lot, I'm afraid.”  
The young woman nodded and slapped her reins onto the bay's rump, “Good day to you then.”  
The cart jerked forward, Martin watching it rattle forward for a moment until the young woman pulled in the reins again, turned in her seat and surveyed him, “I could let you sit in the cart with the hens. I pass the manor on the way to my cottage. It would be a sight faster than walking.”  
Martin trotted up to the cart, “I've not much I could offer you in exchange. Some old coin.”  
The young woman shrugged and smiled and he was reminded painfully of the reason he was here, “I asked for nothing in return. I simply offered you a ride.”  
As he fidgeted, unsure whether to hop onto the space beside one of the chicken cages, she tilted her head backwards, “Come now or I will not make it home before dark.”  
After another moment, he climbed into the back of the wagon and sat down gingerly beside one of the cages, his feet dangling off the back inches above the road.   
She turned to look back at him, “Where do you hail from if I may be so bold to ask?”  
“Oh, um Alfheim but I've been gone for a very long time.”  
“I thought as much, your accent seems strange. It is good to be back then is it not?”  
Martin watched the city fall away behind them, “Yes, it is.”

 

Loki held Lightning at a gallop, trying to clear the sounds, images from his mind. Having been at the receiving end of the lash himself when he'd returned from Midgard in shackles, he felt every strike until at last, he begged Thor's forgiveness, climbing the stairs out of the arena to the south courtyard. At first Sif had held her tongue, bearing each stripe with grim determination but soon enough the leather had laid open raw flesh and she could no longer contain her agony until at last her cries ceased as she slipped into unconsciousness.   
Loki was walking the parapet of the courtyard wall watching the city as it bustled with activity, citizens heading home for the evening meal, finishing their day's work when Thor found him a short time later.  
“It is finished,” Thor muttered, “They have taken her to her cell where she will be cared for by the healers.”  
Loki said nothing, letting him pour fourth his pain.  
“I did love her. It was I pushed Father to choose her, citing the fine qualities she possessed, the noble bloodline, and now it is sullied.”  
“What will you do?”  
Thor grinned and Loki had been relieved to see the boy still within the man, “I will pack a satchel and visit Midgard for a day or two.”  
“Eidra has a letter for Brenna. Can you see she gets it?”  
Upon Thor's agreement, Loki had taken his leave, eager to be away from the somber mood of the palace. 

 

Loki stopped to rest by the side of the road at one point, leading Lightning into the woods to his usual watering hole where the horse proceeded to walk directly into the pool at the bottom of a small waterfall. He ducked his nose into the water further until half his snout was submerged then picked up his great head and shook it. Loki stepped back from the edge of the pool to avoid the spray, instead cupping his hand under a small rivulet to take a long drink. The sound of approaching hoof beats on the road caught his attention and he peered through the trees, catching a glimpse of a little cart rumbling by with cages piled high. A man and a woman sat side by side on the front seat and he could hear the distant cackling of chickens. From a distance, he could not make out who it was though he suspected from the cages and her familiar brown spotted bay, it might be Calda. He bought chickens from her frequently.  
He waded a bit into the pool, lifted the reins floating in the water and pulled Lightning to the shore where the stallion stood, shaking the water from his hide. Loki waited till he stilled then fished into his pocket for a piece of venison jerky while Lightning nosed the undergrowth for something to eat though the early spring greens hadn't yet started to shoot up. Loki looked about the forest. The light was fading. He had thought to ride through until Rialo but now it seemed he would have to stay alone in the house this evening. He would wake in the morning, fetch Hal and have him open the house then ride to Rialo and bring Eidra home.

 

Martin tipped his sunhat to Calda, offering her some coins though she pushed them away yet again. He watched her continue on down the road before he started to search at the end of the road that led down a rutted path between the trees, then slapping himself on the forehead he chuckled nervously. “Looking for a postal box you old fool.”  
He started at a quick pace down the path, hoping fervently to simply slip the letter beneath the front door and disappear. Then he would return to Earth, call David, tell him he'd done his chore and wait. That would be the hardest thing to do, wait for Anna to show up on his doorstep.  
The manor house was dark. Off to his left a short distance away, he saw a few small cottages, one lit from within by soft lantern light. He suspected judging by the size of the great house before him that the smaller cottage was likely the caretaker's place, or perhaps servant housing. He considered leaving the letter with them, then, considering the less he was seen, the better, he inched up to the house to peek in the windows. The rooms were dark. Had the young woman dropped him at the wrong road? She had told him there had been some big doings at the palace in the city of Asgard. Perhaps Loki and Eidra were in attendance. But what if they'd gone on a long holiday? If it took two weeks for Eidra to receive the letter, perhaps David would suspect he'd never delivered it. Then what would become of Anna?  
He knelt down on the stone steps peering beneath the door itself to see if there was enough space to slip the letter underneath.

 

Loki held Lightning at a walk as he headed down the path between the trees. The sun had slipped behind the mountain and dusk was falling but enough light still remained for Loki to spy a man on his knees before the front door of the manor house. Loki reined in Lightning just before the path widened into the clearing, eased himself to the ground, and with a hand on the hilt of his sword started towards the figure.

Martin had dropped his pack on the steps beside him and was now fiddling with the strap, cursing under his breath.  
“Bloody hell, that's what I get for being overcautious!”   
As one side came free, he reached into the depths, pulling out the letter, bent over again, sending a silent prayer upwards as began to slide the letter beneath the door. The tap on his shoulder caused him to scream aloud, banging the top of his head against the hard oak beneath the door handle.  
“Make no move in haste or you shall feel the sting of my sword.”  
Martin sat back on his heels, the letter still clutched in his hand. Over his right shoulder, he could see the tip of the sword hovering inches from his cheek.  
“Stand up, turn and face me.”  
If he lived another hundred years, he would never forget the voice speaking to him now. Upon weak knees, holding the letter in a death grip, he turned about to face Loki.

Loki lowered his sword a bit, canting his head to the side as he studied the man's face in the fading light. Could it be after all these years? Loki stepped closer.  
“Martin?”  
Martin tried so hard to keep his voice steady though it was nigh well impossible, “I..I'm flattered you...you remembered me.”  
Loki's face eased into a grin as he lowered his sword, sliding it back into his scabbard, “Whatever brings you to Asgard? Have you finally decided to return to Alfheim?”  
“Ah, I, yes I have decided to return to Alfheim to live out my remaining years,” This at least was the truth.  
Loki clapped him on the shoulder as he walked past to the door, “Have you come to me for assistance? I owe you a debt after all. If it be a cottage you seek, coin, you have but to ask. Eidra is my life's joy. You restored her to me... ” He looked over his shoulder at Martin, spying the letter dangling from his fingers, “Here now, you were going to leave a letter without paying me a visit?”  
Certain he was now a dead man, Martin placed the letter into Loki's outstretched hand, stood there, mute, as Loki brought the letter up and turned it about, the smile fading a bit from his lips.  
“This is addressed to my wife.”   
Martin's mouth dropped open, his heart was racing. At this rate, if Loki didn't run him through, he was going to have a heart attack. “It is....it's...”  
Loki's eyes narrowed as he slit the flap open with his finger, drawing out the letter, unfolding it. Martin putting a hand to his mouth while Loki began to read the letter to himself.

 

“Dearest Eidra.

As you don't know me, I will dispense with the pleasantries. I won't ask how you are this day, nor will I talk about the weather. I won't even ask after your family when after all, only one member of your brood is of importance to me. Your daughter, Brenna. She is safe at the moment, under my care. Whether she remains so is up to you. I have asked her to help me in a private endeavor but she refuses to do so without you at her side. This is costing me precious time I don't have, so consider this. Each minute you waste compromises her safety. I have written the address on the back of this letter. Use whatever means you have to reach us but come alone or you will never see her again. I will be waiting and watching...”

Martin watched the letter drift from Loki's fingers to the stone steps. He bent to retrieve it but before he was halfway to the ground, a hand at his throat drove him upward against the outer wall beside the door hard enough to rattle the metal handle. He saw stars for a brief second until Loki lifted him from the steps, his boots left the ground, Loki's fingers constricting his windpipe.  
“DID YOU WRITE THIS!?” Loki bellowed,  
Martin grasped weakly at Loki's hand, was sure he was finished, his head was already swimming, his lungs burning even as he knew his next answer could well be his last.  
“Yes,” he croaked and Loki let an almighty roar, grabbing the front of his shirt, drawing him forward, slamming him again to the wall behind him. Summoning what strength he had left, he gurgled, “But it's not.....glme...”  
Loki's grip relaxed ever so slightly, “What do you mean? You admitted your guilt!”  
“I was made to write it,” Martin gasped, “I...I hadn't a choice...” His heart was starting to race again, hurtling oxygen rich blood to his addled mind until Loki renewed his grip, “What mean you that you had no choice!”  
“He has Anna!”  
Martin was vaguely aware that his spectacles had been knocked off. He would never find them in the growing darkness.   
“He has Anna!!” he wheezed.  
Loki let his hand loose and Martin dropped to the steps, gagging, coughing as Loki stood over him.  
“Who is Anna? And who is this man who claims to hold my daughter against her will?”  
Martin had risen to his hands and knees, “Anna, my house....my mate. The woman you met long ago when you came to my house. The man's name is David Wells, you'll find it on the back of the letter.”  
Loki snatched the letter up from the steps, holding it close in the semi-darkness, “He has my daughter Brenna at this very minute?”  
Martin looked up at him. He could say no. He could tell him where to find the address, rush in guns blazing but doing so would undoubtedly forfeit Anna's life. And what if he were wrong, what if David had found a way by now to draw Brenna to him? David had finally gone completely insane and Martin dared not gamble with so precious a thing as Anna's life.  
“He has,” Martin breathed.  
Loki reached down, hauling him to his feet, shirt tight in his fist, “And he sent you to deliver this message?”  
“Yes, because he knew I would. If the love of your life was at stake, wouldn't you do likewise?”  
Loki could scarce breath. His hands were trembling, mind afire. He felt the same terrible empty panic, deep dread when Brenna had run away to Midgard. When he found this Midgardian, David Wells, he would unzip his guts with his dagger.  
He stood still, staring hard at the address, then without a further word, he opened the door of his house and strode inside.  
Martin stared into the depths to see a lantern blaze to life as Loki glided like a spirit up the staircase just inside the door. He turned to looke about the dooryard. Lightning regarded him, his ears folded back, velvet lips curled back to reveal great ivory teeth. Martin considered slipping away into the night but moments later, Loki emerged from the house, passing him as if he weren't there. He took Lightning's reins, led him to a small high walled corral a short way down the path to his left and latched the gate behind the agitated horse.  
Martin watched him return up the path to the dooryard, realizing then that Loki was dressed in a tailored suit from Midgard. He set the lantern on the stone steps.   
“Whatever are you going to do?” Martin cried, “This man is insane. He believes your daughter is the key to some sort of fantastical cure for insanity. He is a desperate man with dangerous friends.”  
“He has made a far more dangerous enemy,” Loki pulled the Uruz from his shirt and held it up to reflect the lantern light.  
“A portal stone,” Martin murmured as he drew a dark green luminous rock from his own pocket, “I've never seen another one.”  
Loki twirled the Uruz between his fingers, “I will find my daughter. Midgard, United States, New York, Tarrytown.” he whispered to the stone as Eidra had taught him, biggest to smallest, slipping the letter into the inner pocket of his suit.   
“I will dispatch this abominable pestilence David Wells, retrieve my daughter and bring her home where she should have been all along,” Loki gazed into the portal at the lights of the city of Tarrytown. “Thereafter I will trouble myself no more with Midgard.”  
A moment later, Martin was alone, fingering the stone in his pocket. The next part of the task would be to return home, call David, tell him he'd delivered the package. He took out the stone, the image of Loki meeting David at the door to his posh mansion, snapping his neck like a twig giving him great comfort. Then Anna would be freed and they would return to Alfheim, shutting the door upon his former life forever. He drew a circle in the air with the stone, watching the portal shimmer and solidify until he was staring at the front of his own country house and he stepped through.


	65. 65

Brenna could hear the low pitched hum, could almost feel it in the air about her as she stood in the middle of the dim hallway. She closed her eyes against the scene, opened them again. She was still there and she began to panic, breath coming fast as she stumbled forward, felt the rough carpet beneath her feet. She was barefoot.   
This was new.   
Again she started to try the handle of each door, yanking hard, knocking, hoping one would lead to the outside. Again each one was locked tight, the big black door at the end of the hallway beckoning to her. Upon reaching the second to last door on the right, she gave the handle a yank, gasping in surprise as it creaked open and she stood looking into a dimly lit bare room where sat a young woman, her arms wrapped about her knees as she rocked, humming a familiar tune to herself. After a moment, Brenna realized the young woman was humming the national anthem of the United States. She'd had to learn it in her American History class.  
The woman was plain, her blond hair pulled back in a shaggy ponytail, wisps of hair haloed about her as if she'd been yanking at her head. She wore a red pullover and black slacks. She too was barefoot. All at once, she stopped humming though she kept rocking, never looking at Brenna.  
“Have you found him yet?”  
Her accent was strange, not unpleasant. Brenna found herself drawn further into the room.  
“I am not looking for anyone. I am searching for the way out.”  
The woman shook her head, “There's no way out of here. That's what the guard told me.”  
She was puzzled. Every time she'd found herself here in the past few weeks, she'd seen not a soul. She'd heard voices, screams sometimes but never had she seen anyone.  
“I thought you were looking for him,” the blond shrugged, a jerky motion she repeated with each cant forward and backward.  
“The guard?”  
This time the blond laughed, unfurling herself, jumping to her feet, “No, no you silly girl. Come on, if we find him, maybe we can find my M.I.P,” she giggled, a high pitched maniacal sound, “Well at least that's what I call him, my Most Important Person,”   
The woman raced through the open door, “Hurry, before the guard comes back.”  
Brenna followed her down the hallway to the next door which the woman flung open, to her chagrin. She'd never been able to open any of the doors herself.  
They both peered into the room which seemed better furnished than the one the woman had been in. It had a TV, a table and a bed to the left of the door. She walked further into the room ignoring the blond woman's sing song advice, “I wouldn't do that if I were you.”  
When Brenna turned to answer her, she caught a glimpse of what was lying in the bed. She put her hand over her mouth to muffle her screams. The mangled body of a young girl lay there, her head at an impossible angle on the pillow, one arm missing, the side of her face a pulp of tissue and bone, chest caved. Her torn clothes were soaked with blood, the only untouched portion of her body were her feet, the toenails painted bright pink as if an effort had been made to lighten the whole horrific scene.  
“I told you, she's not the one you're looking for.”  
The young blond grabbed her by the arm, drawing her away from the woman's body back out into the hall and to the next door at the opposite side of the corridor. As the woman swung the door open she caught a glimpse of a figure sitting on a bench against the wall. The young woman turned. wrinkled her nose.  
“No, I don't think he's the one you're looking for either....” She glanced into the room, “Is he?”  
She eased past the woman, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light. What she saw there made her squeal out loud. The figure at the bench looked up, a slow smile spreading across his face.   
“Uncle Chris!”  
She ran into the room prepared to embrace him but he shouted, “My child! Good Heavens you were nearly stuck right and proper.”   
He'd been whittling a piece of wood with a small knife which he sat down on the bench beside him, holding out his arms, “There now, come see your uncle!”  
She wrapped her arms about his neck, smelt the scent of woodsmoke and fresh shavings, at once overjoyed to see him again, yet profoundly sad. In the back of her mind, she knew he had passed on.   
“What are you doing here?”  
“What am I doing here? Should I not be asking you such questions? 'Tis a dangerous place to be prowling about.”  
“I do not know. I have been here before but never have I been able to open any of the doors until now.”  
“Come on,” The blond woman was calling to her, “We have to keep looking.”   
…..but Brenna didn't want to leave.  
“I am sorry, Uncle Chris. I am sorry I did not come back home to see you.”   
“Now poppet, never you mind. 'Tis why I came to see you instead. You've done a fine job with your studies,” she felt him pat her back, wondered how he could seem so real.  
She stood up then, looking to his left to the carved animal. He followed her gaze and chuckled.  
“Ah old habits die hard. It helps to pass the time until I see you all again, should have a right zoo for Fen though he be too old to play with them when his time comes. I suppose they'll just sit in their box and gather dust, but it's not him I'm worried about..”  
She felt a hand clutch at her arm, the woman was dragging her back towards the door, “Hurry, there's someone you've got to see before it's too late.”  
She looked back towards the door, then to Uncle Chris, “Worried, what is there to be worried about?”  
“Something is happening, you shouldn't be able to open these doors yet.”  
She reached out to Chris who took her hand in his before letting it slip away, “Take care, my child. I feel the scales have fallen out of balance.”  
She felt a hard tug then, looked at the woman behind her, then back to Chris but he was no longer there.  
“Oh won't you hurry? It's getting late, I have to get back to my room and you have to get back to your bed.”  
She let herself be led out of the room, further down the corridor. As they started for the next door, the lights in the ceiling flickered and brightened.   
The woman's eyes grew wide, her mouth agape, “Quickly, open the door!”  
“It will do no good, I tell you...” She took the handle, giving it a yank taking a step backward as it opened toward her. Two hands shoved her forward and she stumbled into the room, her feet twisting together as she landed on her hands and knees, staring at a patch of red carpet. She slowly raised her head, seeing two feet, continuing upwards to legs clad in what looked like light green pajama bottoms. She scrambled backwards to sit on her heels as her eyes continued upward. A pair of arms folded atop bent knees, forehead resting on his arms, long black hair obscured his face and she found she didn't want him to look at her didn't want him to see her here. She reached out her hand to touch his arm, biting back a scream when her hand passed through to the wall behind him.  
“Father?” she whimpered, heard the sound of a heavy door slamming shut somewhere down the hallway and the blond behind her, frantic, “You've found him, now what do we do? Bugger me, the guard is coming!”  
She glanced over her shoulder at the woman who was in the doorway peering down the hall when she heard him speak, “Bren?”  
She swallowed hard, turned her head to answer him....

….And her eyes flew open. She sat up in her bed, staring about her room, trying to bring herself back to the dream but all she could see was her dressing table, a lit string of white lights draped over the mirror. Her laptop, silent, the blue on button pulsing softly in the darkness. She turned over to her nightstand, grabbed the pad of paper and pen sitting there. Nala had suggested it after she began to have recurring bad dreams. When she woke from one, she was to write as much detail about it as she could remember. It was all fading so fast. She recalled Chris, the blond woman, a hallway, a body, and most of all, her father but the details were starting to become vague. The woman had talked about a guard. Was she back on Asgard? The hallway looked Midgardian.   
Brenna put the pad down on her bed, got up and walked to the window. It was still dark out. She could see rain falling in the lights that lit up the mansion walls. At least the weather seemed to be holding steady for spring.  
The feeling of fear in the dream had followed her out into consciousness, still in the back of her mind so she sat at her dressing table for a few minutes, considered turning on the laptop, instead taking the envelope from where it leaned against the mirror and drawing out the letter again.  
She'd been thrilled when her Uncle Thor had arrived at the school that morning dressed in a nicely tailored suit. He'd stepped out from a black sedan, meeting her in the foyer where he attracted considerable attention as usual. He'd drawn her into the reception room then, giving her the letter from her mother, telling her briefly about the dispute with Alfheim and the Jotunns, her parents move to the manor house, her father's reintroduction into the Asgard royal court, his eagerness to bring her home and introduce her into Asgardian society. When she asked him what had happened to change his mind, he could only shrug, “Nothing stays constant, not even in Asgard.”  
He had told her he was expected at Miss Foster's then, taking his leave of her with a repeated wish she would return home soon.  
She leaned forward on her elbows, admiring her mother's wonderful penmanship, the refreshing change from the English alphabet her lips moving silently as she read,

 

My Dearest Lamb,

So much has come to pass since last I wrote you. I grow big with not one but two babies. The midwife in Rialo confirmed this fact so now I shall have two more little ones even as I pine for my firstborn...  
(Brenna smiled even as she rolled her eyes)... Cait is trying to walk. You should see Fen holding her hands and walking her about the house while she tries to figure out how the whole process works. You can almost see the wheels in her head turning as she stares at her feet.  
The biggest event by far is our move. We are but a short ride to the city of Asgard. Sally refused to relocate far from Uncle Chris's grave and now lives with Ren in Rialo proper but she sends her love. We are visiting her for a short while. Since the move, our household has swelled to include a personal valet to your father, his name is Hal and his wife Vesta is a new house servant. You remember Silas, the royal guard? His wife Ingrid has been sent to me as a lady in waiting of sorts but in all honesty, we enjoy each others company, knit, bake when we are allowed in the kitchen, play with the children, help Vesta. Ingrid's son, Gunnar, is a fine companion to Fen and as you may well imagine, they find all manner of trouble to get into. She has named her baby daughter after me. It is quite humorous when I turn around only to find she was talking to the baby and not I. And then there is Gretten. He is a churlish old soul, half dwarf but very sweet once one gets to know him. He is our cook and an excellent one at that.   
We have been set up in a grand manor house, (too grand for all of me) by your uncle, the King. I know not how he convinced your father to return to palace life but there it is. Your father is now the royal adviser to your uncle, his title restored. Your brother and sister have been recognized by the High Council and there are developments I dare not write lest the letter be seen by other than yourself. Suffice it to say, there be ample reason to come home. You must be recognized as well. I must leave off for now, your sister demands every waking moment of my attention and I must rock her to sleep. I will write more later.....

...Your father was standing over my shoulder earlier as I endeavored to write and so I left off as I wished to speak of him to you. I know the two of you are often at odds but he has changed so much even in the short time since last we visited you. He was on campaign with your uncle to sort out a civil unrest and ended up saving two young lives while stopping a potential war. He told me in the humblest manner but I was so very proud of him and I know you would be as well. He will soon be on his way to Asgard to return to the palace for your uncle and so I must close for now as he will give the letter to your uncle to deliver to you. I will write again soon. I await the day you are among us again.

All my love,

Mama. 

 

Brenna folded the letter, setting it back where it had been. The sky outside had started to lighten but it was still early. She crawled back into her bed and lay there, trying to fall back to sleep for a bit longer but it was no use. She was still laying there staring up at the ceiling when the knock came at her door.  
Chase peeked around the edge of the door, “Hey baby, you're not up yet?”  
Brenna sat up, swinging her legs over the floor, “I have been awake for a while, I am just not up.”  
Chase shut the door behind him, sitting down at her desk where he hit the power button on her computer, “Time to rise and shine, breakfast awaits...”   
She walked up behind Chase and slipped her arms around his neck. He turned his head to kiss her cheek, “You okay?”  
“Fine.” She stood up to rummage through her dresser drawers for an outfit to wear.  
“Why don't I believe you?” Chase eyed her.  
She shrugged, pulled out a couple of t-shirt and a pair of jeans.  
“More dreams?”  
“What do you think? Should I wear the green Lucky Charms shirt or this plain black one?”  
Chase swiveled around in his chair, “I think you should tell me about your dream.”  
“It was the same dream I have been having. The one about the hallway, nothing more.”  
She stuffed the black shirt back into the drawer.  
“You're sure?”  
“I cannot remember.” She glanced at her bedside table where the writing tablet lay, mercifully face down.   
Chase leaned back in the chair, “The professor told you to write your dreams down.”  
She walked past him on her way to the bathroom but he caught her hand.  
“Hey, relax. I won't ask anymore, I promise.” He put his forehead to her knuckles, “If I do, you can knock me cold...pow!”  
She ran her fingers through his short hair.  
“You do not have to do that. I simply do not recall much of the dream. Now let me get dressed, I am hungry.”

Sophie, Brian and Rachel were already at the table in the dining hall when Brenna and Chase arrived. Brenna sat down beside Sophie.   
“You guys are late, wow.” She looked at her cell phone.  
“She wasn't up yet. She had a bad dream...stayed awake half the night.” Chase crooked a finger at her as she scowled back at him.  
“What kind of bad dreams?” Brian asked, “I has 'em all the time. I mean I gots good ones too like the other night. I dreamed I could fly. I'se in the middle of a battle, picking up bad guys, throwing 'em in this big oversized dumpster. Oh, oh then there was another one where I was kissing on Beyonce..ow!” He clapped a hand over his arm where Rachel had punched him, “Geez baby, it was only a dream. Y'all know you the woman for me.”  
“It was the hallway dream again. The same one I have had for two weeks now.”  
Sophie nodded, “I've had dreams like that where I go back to the same place over and over again. I often wonder if it's a real place or all in my head.”  
“Oh? What does the place look like?”  
Sophie colored slightly, “It's silly...but I bet at least three times a month I dream about this abandoned theme park. Always the same park and always I walk up to this big roller coaster. The bars on the cars come up and I think I'm supposed to get in but I can never make myself, then I wake up.”  
“Maybe it represents the fact you're always afraid to take chances,” Chase pointed a fork at her.  
“So you think when I'm brave enough to get on the roller coaster, I'll get brave in real life?”  
“Won't know till you try, girl,” Brian nodded, “Every action gots a equal and opposite reaction.”  
“Well I've never been able to make myself get on it. How can you force yourself to do something in your dreams?” Sophie took a sip of her coffee, “Okay besides Artie...I mean how can someone who doesn't have that power manipulate their own dreams?”  
Brenna listened to them debate back and forth but her mind was still on her own dream and her mother's letter. Finally she spoke up, “I think I am going home.”  
They all paused, turning to her. “What?”  
“I think I am going home for the summer. During the break you have talked about.”  
Chase wore an incredulous look on his face, “And you decided this when?”  
“This morning when I was lying abed. When I read my mother's letter again, I just felt so homesick.”  
“But you said you wanted to take some extra classes over the summer so you could be sure you were ready for the next year.”   
Chase sounded shaken and she felt bad for breaking the news to him in front of everyone.  
“I know but my mother has told me she is likely expecting twins and my family has moved to a bigger house. Helgi is getting no younger and Fen is a boy. My father is now busy with my my uncle, the King. Plus she has Cait to take care of. I know she would have help but an extra pair of hands would be wonderful.”  
“Yo daddy is working with the god of thunder now? Outta the park. Family reunions have got to be sick,” Brian laughed.  
“Going home.” Chase put his head in his hands, “Wow.”  
“Chase, please do not be upset. I have been absent from Asgard so long, besides, I shall come back.”  
“What if your parents don't let you though. What if they think once you're in Asgard they can make you stay?”  
She looked about the table, “They will let me return. They would have taken me home long before this were they so determined.”  
She put her hand on Chase's thigh and squeezed, “I promise I will come back. I am as good as my word.”  
“I hope so,” Sophie leaned over and put her arm around Brenna's shoulders, “You're like my best friend so I'd just have to swallow my fears and visit you in Asgard.”  
“Hey, maybe that's the dream! When you visit her in Asgard, y'all will be able to finally get on the roller coaster.” Brian clapped his hands together, “I got this, take that Freud!”  
“I will come back,” she patted Sophie's arm, “I could never leave this place for good. You, all of you are part of my family now. I promise I will return to this school, to Midgard.”

 

The woman whistled as she pulled over to the side of the road, “I take it your friend has money.”  
Loki smiled, “Indeed he does.”  
He looked at the large iron gates open wide leading down a paved driveway. The name on the walls surrounding the property read simply, “Wells” with the number “1227” beneath it in large copper numbers which had turned verdigris over time.  
“Well at least he can help get your car towed. What a time to forget your cell phone.”  
Loki opened the door, toying with the idea of telling her why he was truly there, simply to shake her out of her perfectly manicured, neat little world. After all there would be nothing she could do, nothing anyone could do. By the time she were able to tell anybody what had happened, this man would be long dead and he would be back on Asgard with Brenna safe and sound, however, he merely nodded to her, “I cannot thank you enough for the ride. I am sure he is wondering where I am.”  
He closed the door to the small blue sedan and with a wave watched the woman drive off as he stood at the edge of the road. The paved drive through the trees still wore the browns of early spring to match the forest floor. He felt at his thigh beneath the jacket of his suit for his dagger, clutching the hilt once for reassurance and walked between the pillars towards the mansion at the distant end of the winding drive.

The day was overcast. Leroy felt antsy though he kept the fact to himself. No need to worry Potter. Something just wasn't right. He glanced at the monitors before him. David had gotten the phone call from his friend Rutledge yesterday to say the letter had been delivered. Personally he wondered just when David expected this mystery woman to get here. He hadn't even said where she was coming from.  
Leroy looked at the computer screen. Almost lunch time. Then he cast a glance at Potter who sat in his chair playing on his phone.  
“I'm gonna call out for Chinese in a few minutes.”  
Potter nodded, “ 'kay, I can order it right here on my phone ya know.”  
“Okay, find the closest place.”  
Potter looked up, “There's a good one on Elmer street...hey! Who's that?”  
Potter was pointing to the screen. Leroy sat up to stare at the tall figure striding towards the front door of the mansion.  
“Hell if I know. It don't look like no woman I ever saw. Hold on,” he reached towards a small intercom on the desk, “Mister Wells, we got company but I don't think it's who you were expecting.”  
He got no response and was ready to head upstairs to the front door when David burst through the door of the observation room to gawk at the computer screen.  
“What the fuck did Martin do!” David cried, “What the actual FUCK!”   
He stood up, ran his fingers through his hair, looked about the room, “Okay we're going to stick with the plan,” The last thing he wanted to do was tell them who was standing on the doorstep at the moment.   
Potter slowly raised his hand, “Sir, if you don't mind me saying, this guy wasn't in....the plan. Weren't we expecting a woman? I mean, um, what if he's like a Jehovah's Witness or the caterer? I mean...shouldn't we ask questions first?”  
David glanced at Leroy who shrugged, “He's got a good point.”  
“Listen carefully,” David leaned over to look again into the monitor, “This man is here in place of the woman so stick...with...the...plan. You both have what you need?”  
Leroy opened a small case on the desk and took out a syringe filled with a pale yellow liquid, “One should do it don't you think?”  
David tapped the top of the case, “Bring them both.”

Loki thought better of pressing the lit button beside the door. He turned the ornate handles of the heavy oak double doors, expecting to find them locked. To his surprise, they gave way beneath his hands. He pushed them open ever so slowly though he didn't step inside, instead peering into the dim foyer. A dark wood staircase curved to the second floor, a small table with a lit stained glass lamp sat against the wall in the alcove below the stairway. He stood still, listening, watching for movement, his hand at the ready as he inched through the doorway.

Leroy watched the gray afternoon light fade as the strange man entered the foyer. He had instructed Potter to take the man down first. Potter was sort of a lightweight but this man was thin, tall. They were evenly matched. Leroy had to suppress a laugh. Why David had wanted two syringes was beyond him. It was going to be too easy to take him down. Leroy looked over his left shoulder to see David standing in the darkened reception room a few feet behind him, rage furrowing his brow, then he returned his attention to the man who had now paused and was staring about the foyer. The mansion was silent, a gust of wind rushing through the open front doors. Leroy wanted to scream at Potter to move his ass, was ready to leap out and do the job himself when all at once, the man turned his head to the right and crouched as if ready to pounce. Whatever Potter had just done, the man had heard it. Leroy had to draw his attention the other way so Potter would have a shot.  
Leroy kicked the door beside him just as Potter lunged from behind the right hand door. The resounding thud had caught the man's attention but he was quick, twisting about just as Potter's hand descended toward his arm. The man caught Potter's arm, twisting it around until Potter yelped in pain, dropping the syringe to the floor. It rolled towards Leroy, coming to rest against the door behind which he was hiding. The man gripped the front of Potter's shirt, drew him close and threw him backward into the table which collapsed, sending the glass lamp to shatter on the floor, throwing the foyer into gray light. Shards of broken glass crunched beneath his feet as the man strode towards Potter who lay on the floor moaning, reached down and took Potter's head in his hands as Potter started to scream.  
In a calm flat voice, the man asked him, “Where is my daughter?”  
When Potter's screams continued, the man repeated the question, louder this time, “Where is my DAUGHTER?!”  
Before Leroy could react, he turned Potters head swiftly to the left with a low growl. Potter's screams stopped abruptly as if he'd been shut off.  
The man dropped Potter to the floor as he continued on into the foyer. Taking a deep breath, Leroy dodged around the open door, syringe at the ready, burying the needle through the sleeve of the man's jacket, pushing the plunger down at the same time as the man pivoted about, swinging his arm to catch Leroy hard across the chest. Leroy's feet slipped out from beneath him as he was propelled across the foyer to land a few feet away from Potter's body, crying out as sharp slivers of glass drove through the fabric of his suit to dig into the skin of his back. When the man leaped atop him, Leroy was suddenly sure this man had to be a mutant. He was much too strong for a man his size. As the man's hand closed around his throat, Leroy grabbed his arm and held on for his life, pretty sure if he let go it would cost him just that.

Loki dropped down onto the big man's chest, one hand at his throat, the other groping for the hilt of his dagger, his arm throbbing where the needle had entered the hard muscle of his left bicep. The choked gurgles issuing from the man's gaping mouth brought a malicious grin to Loki's lips.   
“I shall ease my grip,” he hissed, as he pawed at his scabbard, “If only to allow my dagger to do it's chore...” He roared in frustration as his hand refused to obey him. A curious buzz had started in his head. All at once he was unbearably tired, quickly becoming confused. With a last burst of strength, he fought against the man's vise grip on his arm to redouble his hold on the man's throat, his hand reaching the man's collar as his eyes drifted shut and he slumped forward.

 

Leroy shoved the unconscious man off him to the floor, stood up, wincing in pain as he loped over to Potter, knowing as he neared, that the man was dead.   
“You coulda warned us this guy was a dangerous mutant!” Leroy shouted as David emerged from the shadows to stand staring at Loki's body.  
“Well he isn't dangerous now. We'll come back and take care of Mister Potter. I'll grab the extra syringes. Right now we have to get this man to Forest Hill before he wakes up.”  
Leroy cast a last look at Potter, jerked a thumb at the stranger lying on his side on the hardwood floor.  
“So who the hell is this guy?”  
“Suffice it to say this is the girl's father, and a bigger problem by far than her mother would have been. Get him to the car, I'll be right out.”  
As David walked down the steps to the basement he wondered if he shouldn't have told Leroy to shoot at him were he to awaken. It would likely do no good in any case. Honestly, he hadn't been sure even the syringes would work but they had. He was going to have to move quickly. He made a mental note to call Martin back later and thank him. He would have preferred to do it personally but he had other ways of showing his appreciation for Martin's screw up as his thoughts drifted to the scared little woman in one of the basement cells at the hospital. He grabbed the syringes, trotted back up the stairs. As he passed Potter's body, he gave a salute, closed the door behind him and locked it, then slid into the passenger seat of the black Escalade. “Let's go.”


	66. 66

Leroy waited until Doctor Wells unlocked the door of the old service entrance before he leaned into the back seat of the Escalade and hauled the mystery man up over his shoulder.   
Down a short corridor, through another door and they were in the special projects ward. Leroy followed David until he stopped at a door to his left, opening it to reveal one of the metal plated rooms. “In here.”  
The room was spartan, the walls the color of burnished bronze, plain blue carpeting on the floor. A canvas cot with a cotton blanket folded at one end sat open against the wall and there was a small bathroom about the size of a hall closet set into one corner. Leroy lay the man on the cot, stood up and stretched, “Now what?”  
David waved Leroy aside, “We set the bait.”  
He studied Loki's hands, no rings. He opened the lapels of his jacket, watching carefully for any signs that he might be waking up, felt the inner pocket and pulled out the letter. It was likely the letter Martin had delivered though David had no way of knowing. The writing was alien to him. He handed the letter to Leroy, checked the other pocket but found nothing. He was about to stand up again when he spied the rawhide string at Loki's neck, reached into his shirt and drew out a round opalescent doughnut shaped stone. David drew it over Loki's head, holding it up to the beam of one of the recessed ceiling lights, watching it glitter as it twirled about.  
“I think this might work,” David stuffed the necklace in his coat pocket, looked back down at Loki and it was then he saw the tip of the scabbard poking out from the bottom edge of his suit jacket. David undid the buttons at Loki's stomach, opening the jacket to reveal a scabbard strapped to his right thigh. He admired the leather working for a moment, the intertwined snakes, the strange symbols. Then he drew the dagger from the hilt.   
“Exquisite,” The blade felt well balanced, its length compensating for the ornate hilt, “Unstrap the holster from his leg.”  
Leroy frowned as he reached between his thighs and started to unbuckle the straps, expecting at any minute to end up like Potter. However, nothing save the man's chest moved up and down with his even breathing.  
“When you gonna tell me exactly who he is?” Leroy handed the scabbard to David.  
David slid the dagger back into place, “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”  
“Try me,” Leroy crossed his massive arms before him.  
“Very well,” David grinned indicating Loki's unconscious form with a flourish of his hand, “There on the cot before you is the man responsible for the attack on Manhattan.”  
Leroy stood stone faced for a moment before he dissolved into a fit of giggles, “You're right, Doc. I don't believe you.”  
David nodded, “I didn't think you would, nevertheless, I'm going to give you a warning. If I were you, I'd keep a syringe on me at all times....” David held up the scabbard, “Just in case I'm right.”  
Leroy looked at the man on the cot, recalled the strength he'd felt in those hands as they closed around his neck, “Oh I will, Mama didn't raise no fool.”  
David glanced at his watch, “I want him kept sedated. I'm going to need to reason with him before he really comes to. Follow me, we've got him monitored. There's more to do.”

 

The first sensation he was aware of was dull pain centered in his right bicep. Thirst drew a close second. His mouth was paper dry. He tried to open his eyes but the effort was too much at first. He reached out, searching the bed for Eidra, wanting to pull her closer to him, wincing at the soreness as his muscles tensed. His hand found only air, then the hard metal frame of the cot. He forced his eyes open to find himself staring at a pair of trousers. An odd astringent odor arose along with the sensation of a cold wet pad on his arm, cool air caressed his skin, then he felt a prick as if Eidra had jabbed him with one of her sewing needles. A burning sensation spread through his arm to pervade his whole body. He made to move, angry at the intrusion but his limbs felt weighed down as if made of stone.  
“We'll let that work for a few minutes.”  
The voice from above came to him muffled as he drifted back down into the realm between sleep and consciousness....

….until he was standing at the edge of a cliff, staring down into a crater lake. From his height, he could make out color variations in the water, darkening where it grew deeper. A thundering roar drowned out all other sound. He turned his head to the left where some distant there was a great waterfall hurrying over the precipice upon which he now stood. On the shore of the lake far below, he could see his brother waving to him, cupping his hands to his mouth and shouting something. He didn't need to hear to know Thor was yelling at him to jump. It was water after all, what damage could it do? A dare was a dare and he was determined to brave it out. He backed up from the edge a bit, then a bit more. He had to propel himself out over the deeper part of the water or he would strike the lakebed.  
Then he was running toward the void, fast, faster until with one great push he was out over the water, dropping fast, flailing his arms to stay upright. When he hit the surface of the water, it was as if he'd jumped onto rock. Blinding pain shot through his right femur and when the water closed over his head, so too did the darkness....

….and he opened his eyes again. He was staring at a dark metal ceiling. He tried to raise himself on his elbows, failed, tried again, finally sliding back down to the pillow, exhausted. The creak of a chair caused him to turn his had. Sitting beside the cot in a metal chair was a strange man.  
“The ancients used to believe that the heart was the seat of power, of conscious thought,” The man leaned forward, “But we now know that the heart is the seat of weakness. Control the mind and you control the body. Control the heart and you control the soul. Life's greatest love stories have all been tragedies, Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, weakness borne of the love of a man and a woman, the true greats however, have been borne of the love of a parent for their child. The greatest sacrifices have been made in the name of our progeny."  
The man took something out of his coat pocket, holding it up to the light to look at it while Loki struggled to regain control of his body, sliding his right hand beneath the covers to his thigh, finding only the smooth fabric of cotton hospital scrubs.  
The man smiled down at him, an amused look on his face as if watching over a troublesome child, “I removed your dagger long before you woke up. In fact, I've taken everything that would identify you as anything more than just another patient.”   
Loki brought his hand up, grasping convulsively at his chest and was suddenly seized with the urge to leap into this man's lap and tear out his throat, would most certainly have done so had he been able to move.  
“This I would keep in mind for future reference because as it stands right now that's all you are to my orderlies, just another sad psychotic whose case I've taken over.”  
“Who are you?” Loki croaked. He was desperate for a cold mug of water.  
“It really doesn't matter. What does matter is what I needed from you that I've already managed to obtain,” David swung the Uruz back and forth before Loki's enraged face before he stuffed it back into the pocket of his coat and picked up the needle laying across his lap.  
He tapped the long vial as he pointed it upwards at the ceiling, “When next you wake up, your daughter will have come to me because of you. Don't worry. I don't want to hurt her, in fact I want to use her talents for good. I know that's hard to believe right now in your situation. I want her help to cure a disease that's become rampant in our society and I want her to do it willingly,” the man raised the sleeve of his shirt as Loki struggled weakly to pull away from him, “I repeat, I don't want to hurt her but if you decide to try any heroics, give the staff a hassle or try to break out of here, I will be forced to retaliate. However I promise if you behave, nothing will happen to her.”  
He wanted to scream, leap from the cot, feel the man's neck twist beneath his fingers, stop the breath in his throat but all he could do was lie there, growling as the man's hand touched his arm and he drifted back into the darkness..

 

Brenna sat on her bed where she'd dropped moments earlier, not trusting her legs to do their job. Grace had come around that morning with the mail, dropping it in the little holder tacked onto the front of the door. Brenna took the mail and tossed it onto her desk as she headed to breakfast. The letter had lain there all day, untouched until she'd come back to her room after evening meal to fetch her laptop. She had intended to return to Chase's room so they could do homework together, recalling the letter as she'd packed some papers in her laptop case.  
Brenna shook her head as she opened the letter. Neither the name nor the address was familiar, having been sent from somewhere called Derry in the state of Maine but the subject of the photograph therein nearly caused her to scream aloud. The last time she had seen the Uruz, her father had been placing it in her hand. It never left his presence otherwise, being his most precious possession and yet there it was on a table, alone.   
Then there was the typed letter and another smaller envelope along with it. She opened the smaller envelope first, taking out a Metro card and a small slip of paper with numbered instructions written on it, then she unfolded the letter and started to read it. She'd set the little Metro card on the coverlet beside her but now she picked it back up, the words running through her head. “Come alone, or you will find your father beyond even your help.” And the address, someplace in New York called Tarrytown. At first she considered going straight to Miss Munroe. Then she thought of the Uruz, what it would take to remove it from her father's neck in the first place and she could scarce draw breath. What if he was already hurt? Once more, she read the letter...

 

 

Brenna,

It has come to my attention that you have something I need. You have a unique talent, the ability to heal whatever you touch. I have long been searching for someone such as yourself. However, I am aware no matter how great your power may be, you're limited to where you can go and what you can do. Thus I will give you the incentive to break the rules. You can help me affect great changes, you can be a cure for a terrible disease of which I have been a victim. It is, of course, your choice but I am certain you will do the right thing. At the moment, your father is safe but know this, I am desperate. You will take the Metro card to the nearest MTA station called Croton Falls. There you will follow the instructions listed with the card. Tell no one where you are going. Let no one see you leave. Come alone, or you will find your father beyond even your help.

 

There was no signature at the end, not so much as a set of initials. She folded the letter again staring hard at the picture as if somehow she could figure out where it was. Finally, she lay the letter on the dresser then walked to the window overlooking the lake behind the school. The sun was starting to set. She had promised she would meet Chase in the rec room for movie night but now she had to think up a lie to tell him. If she were to join him and try to sit still through the movie until bedtime with what was going through her head, he would know something was wrong. She pulled her phone from her jeans pocket and started to dial his number, all the while looking at the photograph in her hand. 

Chase answered the phone in a good mood, she was sorry to break it, “What's up?”  
“I am not feeling well, I am going to lay down for a while.”  
“How are you not feeling well?”  
Brenna had started to play with a lock of her hair, glad that she wasn't talking to him in person. When she had something to hide, something that made her nervous, she would always start to fiddle aimlessly whether with a lock of hair or a cup, a pen, paper. Chase always caught it, always knew.  
“My stomach again.”  
“I told you the dessert was going to upset you. Too much artificial crap. You want me to come up and sit with you?”  
“No, I will probably try and sleep it off.”  
“Are you sure? I could bring a movie with me. We could lay on the bed and watch it on your laptop.”  
Brenna wanted nothing more in the world than to curl up with Chase right this moment. She bit her lip, “No, I would be asleep before the movie started. I will call you a bit later when I wake up.”  
“Okay, you're sure though?”  
“Yes, my love,” she cooed. He adored her endearments.  
“Alright, call me when you wake up, promise?”  
“I will.”  
She hung up the phone, setting it on her nightstand, then walked to her desk and started up her laptop. Chase had shown her one day how to look up a place on a map. When the search bar appeared, she typed “Croton Falls train station” then hit enter.

 

She reached for the clock on her nightstand, turning off the alarm two minutes early. She'd been lying in bed staring at it, in any case, watching the minutes count down. The bright red LED readout said eleven twenty-eight p.m. She slipped on her boots, pulled from under her bed, the backpack she'd packed after she'd talked to Chase. A pair of jeans, a t-shirt, the orange she'd saved from dinner and another taste she'd acquired on Midgard, a chocolate Hershey bar, were all she'd bothered with. The letter she stuffed into the inside pocket of her winter jacket. If she needed to run or fight for any reason, she would need something that was easy to toss off. She fervently wished she had a weapon she could take with her but all she could find of any heft was the black flashlight Miss Munroe had given her to use during a power outage one evening at the school. She donned her winter jacket, took the flashlight slipped it in the jacket pocket and slowly cracked open the door to her quarters, glancing up and down the hallway listening, watching. Except for a few faraway voices, the hallway was still. She shut her door gently, wondering perhaps if she would never hear the muffled click again and she had to bite her lip to stem the tears that threatened to turn her feet once again towards Miss Munroe's office.  
Instead, she headed to the staircase down to the first landing where she stopped to make sure she would not be seen. The reception room was dark as was the hallway to the dining room. Only the central hanging light illuminated the foyer. She trotted down the stairs, opened the front door, and slipped out into the cool darkness. Spring was here for sure but the night air was still cold, her breath ghosted in the tungsten glow of the outdoor lights as she stared down the long lamplit drive winding through the trees. Reluctantly, she let go of the doorknob, patted her jacket pocket where the letter and its contents crinkled beneath her fingers, then started off around the circular drive, down the road leading away from the mansion.

When she reached the main road, she started walking, staying far from the shoulder and the cars that streamed by her on the way to their destination. The urge to turn back gripped her almost immediately, she had to force each step. She hadn't felt so alone since the day she'd arrived at Grand Central station, realizing now how very safe she felt within the confines of the school surrounded by her friends. Though she'd learned enough of Midgard she could fit into society reasonably well, she'd not been on her own. As a large tractor trailer passed her, driving her further off the road with a honk, she decided she'd had enough, she was cold and alone, scared, it was dark. She would call Chase, have him meet her along the long drive onto the school grounds, then they would go to Miss Munroe with the letter. She slid her hand into the right pocket of her jeans. No phone. She checked her left pocket and backed further away from the road. She'd left her phone back at the school. It had been sitting on the nightstand. She'd meant to grab it when she left but she'd been so nervous it had slipped her mind.  
She started at a quick trot back to the school, each time an oncoming car flooded her with light she would turn to face the dark tree lined shoulder waiting until they passed, her apprehension hurrying her pace. The curve in the road ahead lightened with the approach of yet another car and she turned away once more as the lights became brighter and brighter still until the gravel crunched a short ways ahead of her and she looked up to see a white van parked along the side of the road, facing her. She held her hand up to shield her eyes and heard a door shut. The silhouette of a tall man stepped in front of the headlights, waving to her.   
At once she knew she was in trouble, someone had seen her leave the school and had come looking for her. She started toward the van, hoping it wasn't Professor Wagner. He'd be lecturing her until morning. She advanced a few more steps until the voice called out to her and she froze.  
“Hello, your name is Brenna, yes?”  
The accent was strange but not unfamiliar. The man sounded like Mister Rasputin, a school alumni and frequent visitor but he hadn't been to the school in a couple of months. She watched the strange man close in upon her, “Brenna?”  
She nodded, unable to speak as she began to back away.  
“I won't hurt you.”  
But she kept backing away from him until her heel hit uneven ground causing her to stumble backwards. At once the stranger was at her elbow, steadying her, “Ah see, I save you from yourself.”  
He was close enough now for her to see his face.  
“A f...fire giant?” She stammered, endeavoring to pull her arm from his grasp but he held firm as he laughed.  
“Fire giant? You make joke at my expense?”  
She shook her head, felt him start to guide her towards the van. She dug her heels into the dirty grass of the shoulder, trying to pry his fingers free, wanted to scream but could only gasp, “Ah..Ah!” as they reached the side of the van and the door slid open.  
“Hurry up, damnit!” came a voice from within, “Couldn't you just spirit her away or whatever it is you do? Be a lot faster.”  
“Is always the solution?” He muttered, then adding something in a different language, he lifted her from the ground towards a pair of arms which took hold of her, pulling her inside. It was then, faced with the dark, barren metal interior and the two strangers, that instinct kicked in and she screamed, propelling herself out of the van, misjudging the distance from the door to the pavement, stumbling to the ground. She scrambled to her feet, racing for the woods along the side of the road expecting to hear footsteps fast behind her, heavy breathing. She paused to look over her shoulder at the van still parked by the side of the road, felt two arms wrap around her and she was suddenly back inside the van.  
The last words she heard before the doors slid shut and she lost her grip on consciousness were from the red skinned stranger.  
“There, is better?”  
“It was a lot quicker.”   
“Idiot.”


	67. 67

Thunk! Her head bounced off the floor of the van and her eyes flew open. All she could see by the dim dashboard lights were a pair of ratty blue high top sneakers, the hems of black pants draped over the tongues. She closed her eyes again and lay as still as she could, listening to the chatter back and forth.  
“Tell me again why you couldna done the same thing in the school? Too far for ya?”  
Deep rich laughter, “Our orders were no photograph, no video. I am good but still I can be seen and so we let girl come to us. If I wanted, I could, what you call it?...spirit you to Siberia.”  
“You must save a bundle on airfare.”  
More laughter, louder this time, “Keep in mind when your mouth works faster than your head. Say to yourself, where could I end up?”  
“Now that's not funny. How much farther we got to go? I gotta take a piss.”  
“Don't know. Half hour maybe. You will have to cross your legs.”  
“Fuck you!”  
“I know where is bathroom in Irkutsk.”  
Silence then as the van ground to a halt and idled, accelerating again a minute later. She peered through slitted eyes at Sneaker's ankles. Could she do it? Could she grab his leg, find an old injury quickly enough to leap out of the van and escape while he was screaming in pain? She highly doubted it. She was extremely agitated, frightened. If she couldn't focus, she wouldn't be able to so much as give him a hangnail. Still if the chance were there she would try.  
“And after we drop her off, we all through? I got a vacation in Aruba I wanna finish.”  
“Lazy. Vacation from what. You lie around penthouse all day, eat Eric out of house. Bah! Maybe he give you vacation to save on food bill.”  
“Fuck you, pal....Paul!” Sneakers shouted, “Can we pull over at the next gas station?”  
From the front of the van came a reply, “You fucking kidding me? We're on a schedule. I already called and told them we're on our way. We turn up late and they're gonna start asking questions. What's your problem?”  
“I gotta piss.”  
“I told you to lay off the goddamn coffee.”  
The van was silent for a while then she felt the van veer into a turn, hit a bump and she slid forward across the floor of the van as it slowed to a stop.   
“Five minutes.”  
“I won't take thirty seconds, Jesus I'm not gonna play with it.”  
She heard the van door slide open and slam shut. She knew the other stranger, the one who'd grabbed her and spirited her back into the van, was watching her. She could almost physically feel his eyes wandering along her body.  
“What's so special about this chick?”   
It was Paul, the driver, his voice sounded louder as if he was turned around facing her. She didn't have half a chance of succeeding in what she was planning but she couldn't bear not even making the effort.  
“Cannot tell you.”  
“You'd have to kill me right?”  
“Yes.”  
A pause then a nervous giggle, “You're pretty funny.”  
“Was not joke.”  
Paul must have turned around again to face forward as there came no reply to the red man's remark.  
She heard the van door slide open again then slam shut. As soon as she saw Sneaker's leg, her hand shot out and she wrapped her fingers around his ankle, heard him yelp as her mind raced through his body, arms, legs, feet, hands, to his head, his mouth where she found an old tooth that had been bonded after it had been cracked, probably in a fight.   
Sneakers had raised his other foot to kick her in the face when he screeched, his hand flying to his mouth as he flopped over onto the bench seat of the van and Brenna was on her feet. She grasped the handle of the van door, throwing it open to the gas station parking lot. Her foot hovered over the pavement, her knee bent to push her body into a sprint when the hand clamped around her mouth, hauling her back inside and heaving her face first to the floor, the van door slamming shut behind her. Sneakers was still screaming into his hands as she was thrown onto her back, one arm pinned behind her to the rough carpet while the stranger hovered over her and she finally caught a good look at him. The van started to accelerate as she began to scream along with Sneakers, trying to lash out at the demon scowling down at her with oddly familiar golden eyes.  
“Garrett, shut up and fetch rope,” he snarled.   
Sneakers, whom she surmised was Garrett, was still moaning, crying, “My fucking toof, liddle bitch.”  
“Get rope, or I let her loose on you again!” the demon shouted.   
A coil of rope landed on her chest as the demon glared up at him, “Come down here, help me turn the girl over and tie her hands!”  
“I'm not getting' near her,” Garrett slid further down the bench as the demon's hands tightened on her wrists.  
“You want I should tell Eric you do not help me? Maybe he remove fillings too. How many you got in your ugly head?”  
Garrett dropped to his knees beside her with a groan, “Turn her over, fuck me.”  
Try as she could to prevent them from doing so, she was flipped onto her stomach, her cheek grinding into the carpeting as Garrett put his palm against the side of her face. She tried desperately to flail her arms, find purchase on the demon's body but he was deft, avoiding her hands as he wound the rope around them and cinched it tight.  
Garrett gave her head a shove as he rose from the floor to sit back on the bench and the demon flipped her over onto her back.  
“You should have kept still, girl. This is not better I think.”  
She glared at him as she struggled to turn to her side, eventually giving up in frustration as each bump on the road put her onto her back again and again. She lay there looking back and forth at Garrett and the demon until she could stand it no longer, “Are you taking me to this town called Tarry?”  
Garrett burst out in a laugh that turned into a groan, “Town called Tarry....too fucking funny,”  
He put his hand to his jaw, massaging the sore tooth.  
“Is Tarrytown, and yes, we are taking you there.” The demon looked to his right out through the front windshield, “We will be there soon now.”  
She kept her gaze fixed on the demon, “Is my father well?”  
The demon looked down at her, “I do not know who is your father.”  
For one terrifying moment, she felt sick terror grip her. Had she been drawn away from the school based on a lie? Then she recalled the picture again and heard Paul the driver.  
“She means the guy the Doctor was talking about.”  
The demon sat back in his seat, “I heard him say he captured a god. Is your father?”  
She felt the tears start to roll down her cheeks to her temples, too tired to protest, “He is well then?”  
“I do not know from well,” he smiled, showing teeth so white they seemed to gleam in the darkness, “But I know gods. How is one man able to trap him?”  
She sniffed and the demon leaned over to wipe at her tears. He chuckled as she squirmed out of his reach, “You are strong girl, brave. You sure you are not Russian?”  
“I am Asgardian!” she swallowed hard, her throat clicked, “I am a princess, my uncle is King.”  
“Where the hell is Asgard? The only kings and queens I know about are in Europe.” Garrett sneered.  
“Read books once in a while, look up Norse myths,” the Demon winked at her.  
“A myth is a made up story right?” Garrett nudged her with his foot. If she'd been able to reach him, damn and to hell with her hands, she would have bitten his leg.  
“Is Thor made up?”   
“That guy with the hammer from New York?” Garrett made a swinging motion with his hand as if holding an imaginary weapon, “I guess not......”  
“Then is not story.”  
Garrett frowned as the van started to slow, turning to the right. The sounds of other traffic faded away until all she could hear was the hum of the tires beneath her. Finally the van stopped and Paul jerked it into park.  
The demon reached down, patting her shoulder, “We are here.”

She was hauled to her feet before the open van door where the demon stood waiting to assist her as she stepped out of the van to the pavement and stared up at the mansion before which they were parked. It wasn't nearly as large as the school though it was impressive. Far too large for one person to occupy. The burbling of water to her right caught her attention and she turned her head to see a fountain in the center of the circular drive where she now stood. It was in the shape of a woman pouring water from a ewer into the cup of a young boy at her feet. At once her thoughts strayed to the fountain in the arboretum at the palace until she felt the hand on her arm guiding her away from the van and up the stairs, between the tall white columns to the front door. The demon turned the handle and they walked in, greeted by a tall pale blond man with light blue eyes.   
“Adam, tell Doctor package has arrived.”  
Adam regarded Brenna with a smirk and a slight bow as he waved them into sitting room off the foyer to their right.   
“Wait here.”  
The demon brought her to a sofa where he sat her down, “Rest, has been long night for you.”  
She looked about the room. Everything seemed so familiar. She eased back into the cushions, fatigue nearly winning the war as she shut her eyes for a moment. The demon was right, she was exhausted, the excitement of the evening had completely worn her out.  
“What time is it?” Garrett scanned the room for a clock.  
“Is nearly one in the morning.”  
“Way past my bedtime.”  
She heard swift footsteps clicking on the tiled floor of the foyer, opened her eyes and looked up to see a handsome man in a black turtleneck and blue jeans striding towards her. It took her no longer than a fraction of a second to recognize the man standing at Chase's side in the family picture atop the dresser in his room.  
“Welcome to my home.”  
Her bottom lip began to tremble. She knew she was on the verge of what Sophie termed a meltdown.  
“Why?” she cried, sitting forward, struggling against her bonds, “Why have you done this?”  
David sat on the couch beside her as she tried to wriggle away from him, “Azazel please untie her for me. This is no way to treat a guest.”  
The demon shrugged, bent her forward and began to loosen the rope, “Is your problem.”  
“Don't worry, she's going to behave. She doesn't have much choice.”  
As Azazel undid the last knot, Brenna's arms rolled forward, shoulders aching with the release of tension, her muscles felt like rubber.   
“There, that's better,” David clapped his hands, “After all how can you show me what miracles you can work with your hands behind your back.”  
Free to move now, Brenna jumped up from the couch, pivoting about to face him, “Where is my father?!”  
David cast her a maddeningly calm smile, “Safe.”  
She heard footsteps behind her, looked over her shoulder to spy a large man in a tan short sleeve shirt and pants standing beside Azazel. He stood with his hands on his hips, the light glinting off the badge affixed above his shirt pocket.  
“Leroy here has been watching over him.”  
When Leroy smiled at her, she was struck with a sudden chill, “I want to see him.”  
“And you will,” David stood up, began to circle her, “All you have to do is indulge me.”  
Brenna watched him, “I do not ken.”   
“Perhaps I should explain why I wanted you to come to me,” David's smile slipped a bit, as he gestured to the sofa, “Here, sit down again.”  
She shook her head, “I wish to stand.”  
“Very well,” David let himself down to the cushions, “I am the director of a large psychiatric hospital but I'm sure Chase has already told you that. For years I have studied and treated people, searched for a cure for diseases and genetic anomalies of the brain. I've seen those people born with a whole range of mental and physical defects from autism to schizophrenia, sociopaths, psychopaths.... now there's one right up your alley.”  
Brenna continued to stare at him, silent so he went on..  
“Some of the afflicted were vibrant, full of life. People who made a difference in society, in the world. Some never had a chance to become anything more than a victim of their condition.”  
Here he paused but when he spoke again, his voice had a hoarse edge to it, “Such was...the fate of someone very close to me. I tried all I could to help her but she died in a tragic accident.”  
“The girl on TV,” Brenna whispered.  
David tried to smile though he was visibly shaken as he stood back up, “She was so much more than that. I didn't want to see her end up as just another victim on the five o' clock news but it seemed just what did indeed happen,” he approached Brenna, put his hands on her shoulders, “Then Chase told me about you.”  
Brenna wrenched her shoulders from his grasp, “Does he know what you are doing?”  
“No,” David walked over, ran a finger along the edge of a picture frame sitting on mantle of a large marble fireplace that covered one wall,“He's not involved. But you are,” he turned to her, “You hold the key to unlock the future. If you can cure diseases like schizophrenia, sociopathy, autism, we could become famous.”  
“You could become rich.” Garrett added earning a scowled from David.  
“It isn't always about the money! Is it Azazel.”  
Azazel's golden eyes slid to Garrett then back to them and Brenna understood why he'd seemed so familiar.  
“You have eyes like Professor Wagner.”  
Azazel was about to speak but her statement caught him off guard and he roared with laughter. “Is secret,” he winked at her, “Do not ask do not tell, eh?” then he nodded to David, “No, is not always about money. But money helps.”  
David turned back to Brenna, “It is about making sure others don't suffer like I have.”  
“And so you hurt people to reach your goal? How is this right? How is this honorable?”  
“Tell me then. Would you have come here of your own choice to help me? Maybe. Would the self righteous head mistress have given her leave for you to do so? Probably not.”  
“You cannot presume to know...!”  
“...so I do what I have to and if I have to threaten and cajole to make my dream come true,” David chuckled, “I will do that and more. Now tell me are you up to the task?”  
She shook her head erasing the smile from his face, “I do not know if I can cure disease or sickness because I never thought to try. All I am certain I can do is heal...,” She smiled for the first time since she'd started out from the school as she glanced at Garrett, “...Or unheal.”  
Garrett winced, gave her the finger but David nodded, held out his hand, “First things first, let us see you heal.”  
“No,” she backed away from him as his outstretched hand curled into a fist.  
“I had hoped we wouldn't have to do this the hard way. I thought I could convince you to help me just on principle alone. I mean how wonderful would it be if you could help someone whose mind isn't working correctly?”  
“I told you, I do not know if I can do what you ask.”  
“Well how do you know if you won't try?” David crooked a finger at Garrett who stepped forward. “Tell me Garrett, what happened in the van?”  
“The bitch..”  
David held up his hand and Garrett spat, “The girl...cracked the tooth I got bonded a while back when she grabbed my ankle.”  
David turned to Brenna, “Tsk, they should have kept a better watch on you. Re-heal his tooth.”  
Brenna shook her head, “I will do no such thing. I want to see my father.”  
David sighed, long and loud as he put his hand on Garrett's shoulder, “I'm sorry about this, Garrett.”  
He backed away from Garrett, reached into the front of his jeans and withdrew a pistol. Before Brenna could find her tongue, David took aim at Garrett and pulled the trigger. Garrett let out a choked cry that was swiftly overpowered by Brenna's high pitched screams as she backed away from the young man clutching at the hole in his chest as his blood poured out onto the varnished hardwood floor. She collided with Azazel who was watching the scene, indifferent, felt his strong hands pushing her forward again.  
“Heal him, Brenna, hurry!” David cried, pointing at the fast failing Garrett.  
She could only scream, over and over. David was now inches from her face, “Heal him! You're going to let him die? Heal him!”   
It was then that her bladder let loose and she slid down Azazel's legs to kneel on the floor, sobbing into her hands, crying over and over, “NO! NO!”   
David bent down, taking her face roughly in his hands, shaking it, “Heal him!”   
David looked to Garrett who had finally grown still then back at Brenna, shoving her face from his hands as she crumpled into a heap.  
“Take her to the van,” David waved to Leroy who was now standing there staring open mouthed at Garrett.  
“Don't worry about him. Take care of Brenna,” David turned to Azazel, “We'll be right behind you in the Escalade,” he glanced at Garrett's body, “Now I'll have to have the floor refinished.”   
Leroy had lifted Brenna from the floor and was now carrying her through the foyer.   
“How long will it take him to regenerate?” David nudged Garrett's body with the toe of his shoe.  
Azazel shrugged, “Do not know. Half hour? You not cut off arm or leg, you blow hole in chest.”  
David rubbed his chin, “He's come back from a bad injury like this right?”  
Azazel seesawed his hand in the air, “Ya, pretty bad.”  
“Grab him and put him in the back of the Escalade. The last thing I want is for the girl to lose her mind staring at a corpse.”  
Azazel frowned as he stooped to haul Garrett's body over his shoulder, “Great, blood on my good suit. I will send you cleaning bill.”  
David opened the door, catching Adam's stare from the dining room, “Get that mopped up. I'll be back.”  
Once outside, he walked to the driver's side window of the white van where Paul sat watching Leroy climb into the back of the van with Brenna.   
“Follow us.”  
Paul nodded, “Where are we heading?”  
“To Forest Hills. I've got some persuading to do.”


	68. 68

Thirst was what woke him, yet again. It seemed all there was in this prison. Thirst and the infernal low pitched hum that filled the room, invading his mind, making it hard to concentrate. He sat up in the cot, discovering his equilibrium was off only when he caught himself with a hand on the floor as he pitched to his left. He dropped out of the cot onto his hands and knees, peering about the spartan room.   
He felt filthy, weak as if he'd been sick with the fever. He sat back on his heels, spying the food tray near the door a moment before he smelled the food upon it.   
His heart started to pound as he spied the tall bottle of cold water, condensation sliding down its sides. He pushed himself up from the frame of the cot to stand, dropping just as quickly back to his knees as another wave of vertigo hit him, made a second attempt before finally crawling across the carpet to the tray, snatching the water bottle from it as if it would disappear ere he waited any longer.  
He sat back against the wall beside the door, unscrewed the cap and poured the water into his mouth. A ice cold rivulet ran from the corner of his mouth down his neck and onto his chest as he drained the bottle, shuddering at the horrid plastic aftertaste. Still it was cold and wet. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back to the metal wall to catch his breath before he turned his attention back to the red tray.  
He'd hardly been able to stomach the Midgardian food in the hospital when Cait was born. He was sure the hamburger and french fries sitting there on the plate were more of the same quality but he'd not eaten since....  
Loki sat forward, staring at the carpet. Since when? How long had he been asleep, unconscious? Hours, days? Eidra must be wondering where he had gotten off to by now. He looked back at the food on the tray and was startled as a voice filled the room.   
“Go ahead, eat. It's not poisoned.”  
He looked about, trying to determine where the voice was coming from as the door to his left slid open to the sound of laughter as the man who'd visited him before, stepped in. He was immediately on his guard but the man simply walked to his cot and sat down upon it.  
“You need to keep your strength up, that's what's running through your mind right now.”  
Loki stared at the grinning man who stood back up and held out his hand to him, “Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Doctor David Wells, director of this facility in which you now reside. I know your memory might be a bit fuzzy from the last time we met.”  
He tried to recall how he'd come to be in this room, his anger building each time he couldn't get past opening the door to.... he clenched his fists.....to where?  
“The anesthetics will sometimes do that to you, blow holes in your memory. The Valium in your water is a bit gentler than that.”  
Loki continued to stare, willing himself to ignore the gnawing hunger in his stomach for a bit longer.  
“You're a tough nut to crack,” David tapped his chin, “Almost as tough as your daughter.”  
“Where is she?!” Loki growled, struggling to rise from his position on the floor.  
There it was.  
“I knew you could speak. I just had to find the right reason for you to do so.”  
“Where is..”  
“She's fine,” David waved at him, “A bit shell shocked. I had to demonstrate for her how serious I am in my endeavor.”  
Loki had finally made his feet, each unsteady step bringing him closer to David.  
“Sit down, honestly, why expend your energy so uselessly?”  
But Loki kept coming. David knew Leroy was watching the monitor and unless he gave the signal, would not interfere. David remained impassive until Loki was inches from him, matching Loki's hard stare, waiting for his next move. Anticipating it.  
“I could stop your heart with but a few words,” Loki snarled.  
“You could,” David nodded, “I've no doubt. Not after reading your file. But you won't.”   
David stood up, pleased to see he nearly matched Loki in height, “Because if I leave this room in less than one piece with my eyes open, your daughter's life will be forfeit and you know it....I'll wager your daughter's talents are far inferior to your own.”  
As Loki had settled into the life of a family man, tempered by Eidra's gentle manner, instances of extreme rage, anger had faded into distant memory, replaced by simple irritation, occasional frustration thus it was that the wave of murderous hatred washing over him at this moment, took him by surprise, calling to mind the past he'd hoped long buried.  
It was with terrific will power that he was able to return to his place against the far wall, sliding down cross legged, hands in his lap.  
“Now don't look so defeated. Eat while we talk.”  
Loki pulled the tray over to him, still leaving the food untouched.  
“After all, this is where I get the most enjoyment out of my day job, picking apart the brains of the truly ill, like you, a genuine psycopath.”  
“I do not ken psychopath. Stark has called me such a word many times before.”  
“Do you want the clinical version or would you prefer I dumbed it down?” David templed his fingers before him.  
Loki grunted, looked away, “I do not care.”  
“Oh you might. Webster's Dictonary defines a psycopath as a mentally ill or unstable person affected with antisocial personality disorder. Now your condition could be the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. I wonder, aren't so-called gods supposed to be perfect?” When David received no answer, he continued, “It could be caused by your home life, how you were brought up. Likely it's a combination of both.”  
“I repeat, I do not ken nor do I care to. Leave me alone.”  
“Sorry,” David leaned forward, “I can't. This is too great an opportunity. Maybe you'd like to know how I came by the diagnosis. I could throw names at you like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jack the Ripper, but you need context so let me provide it. They were all serial killers. Murderers who overpowered their victims and then killed them. Some were rapists, some wanted revenge, still others had no obvious motive, at least none that were ever discovered.”  
Loki sneered at him, “You dare to compare me to these individuals?”  
David had expected to hear disgust, rage in Loki's response. Instead he found the wavering quality of the unsure, fearful and he was certain he'd found the chink in the armor.  
“Let's dig deeper then shall we? Let's see if you have the hallmarks that aren't readily recognized.”  
Loki looked up to the ceiling, focusing on the narrow ventilation slits and the light within.  
“You're married.” David pulled a small tablet from the inner pocket of his suit jacket, “The woman is listed as someone named Eidra?”  
Loki felt his stomach turn.  
“It states further, now I'm going by classified records, that she was a former house servant of yours from somewhere called Alfheim. This puts a new spin on your need for power. It could even extend to your daughter. Is that why she ended up here on Midgard? Because you tried to control her, exert your power over her?”  
Loki clamped his hands over his ears, “Stop.”  
“We could look at the master-slave relationship as well. How the slave serves the master so well, tells him what he wants to hear, does what he wishes, learns to love him because he is all she knows, that he becomes dependent on her. Thus the master in turn becomes the slave.”   
“Stop!” Loki cried.  
“Or,” David stood again from the cot and ambled over to where Loki sat, his fists shoved to his ears, his elbows on his knees, “We could skip straight to the incident in New York.”  
David squatted down before him, “How many people did you kill directly? Indirectly? Do you know that day was termed the deadliest attack on a civilian population in recorded history? Thousands of lives lost. Men, women, children...children like Brenna. I wonder does your family know about your past? Your wife? What about your daughter?”  
Loki had started to moan, rocking back and forth. He had visited the images from the time spent in oblivion but once since his imprisonment and then only for the sake of his wife. He could now see the reptilian faces of the Chitauri as they clamored about him, hungry for war and death. Splitting the sky over Manhattan, destroying entire buildings, roaming the streets, killing. Revisited too were the emotions, the joy he'd felt at taking the lives of those who stood in his way. How effective the Chitaurian scepter had been, the power he'd felt while he'd wielded it.  
He had been pardoned. He had been punished, imprisoned and pardoned because of his mother's pleas, when others would have been executed. Perhaps he was now paying the price for his actions.   
“Would it matter if I told your daughter about you? About the murderer her father truly is?”  
Loki leaped at David, shoving him across the carpet, his hands wrapped about his throat. For a moment, David saw stars as his head bounced off the hard floor then he was choking, gasping for breath as Loki bore down with his thumbs into David's windpipe.   
“I will bury my dagger in your skull!!” Loki shrieked, teeth bared, “I will rip your throat out with my bare hands! I will sheath my sword in your guts!”  
He lifted David's head from the floor and banged it down again, heard the door behind him slide open and yet he kept squeezing.

Leroy rushed over to where Loki sat atop David's chest taking hold of Loki's shoulder prepared to shove him off the doctor but grabbing at his arm was like gripping steel. He would never get Loki to let go in time no matter how big he was.   
“Fuck this,” he muttered as he fumbled in his pants pocket for the syringe, dropped it to the floor, retrieved it, flipped off the cap ready to plunge it into Loki's arm when Loki's shoulders drooped as he released David's throat and pushed off of him to kneel on the floor, shivering. David rolled to his side gagging, coughing, pulling in great lungfuls of air until finally he was able to give a short laugh. He rose to his hands and knees, then to his feet with Leroy's help.  
“Doc that was too goddamn close for me, Christ.”  
David held up his hand, took another deep breath and looked down at the man on his hands and knees, arms wrapped over his head as he whined. He knew then he was staring at a broken man. The job was half done.  
“Only you can tell Brenna it's in her best interest to do as I say. I suggest you do so.”  
David started for the door, nudging the tray with his foot as he passed, “Pick that up, he's not going to eat it anyway.”  
Leroy picked up the tray as David glanced over his shoulder at Loki and smiled.  
“We'll try this again tomorrow.”  
Loki heard the door slide shut behind him. Only then did he start to pound his fists on the floor, his screams turning quickly to a roar that filled the room, spilling out into the corridor as the door at the other end slid closed.

 

Chase stood looking at Sophie, Brian and Rachel, “She's not here yet?”  
“Naw man, we've been here for almost a half hour. We thought you was, you know..,” Brian winked at him.  
“Maybe she's talking to Miss Munroe. She's been acting odd lately what with those bad dreams, being homesick, I'll go see. If she gets here, text me.” He patted the phone in his pocket and trotted out of the dining hall.

When Miss Munroe said she'd not seen Brenna, Chase felt a slight prickle at the back of his neck as he returned to her room, hoping they'd just been missing each other. Minutes later, he was standing in the middle of her room holding her cell phone in one hand as he called Brian.  
“What's up?” Brian answered though his words were muffled around a mouthful of food.  
“She wasn't with Miss Munroe, she wasn't in her room so I called her phone only to find it was on her bed. She doesn't go anywhere without it.”  
Silence, then, “Uh....okay, okay stay right there. We'll be up in a second.”  
Chase started to look around the room. One of her dresser drawers was ajar and he peered inside but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Her clothes were still there. He moved the mouse to her laptop but it was shut down. He walked to the window, scanning the lawn in the morning sun, shielding his eyes from the glare off the lake hoping to see her out for a morning walk.   
The door opened behind him and he whirled around to see Brian gasping, hands on his knees. He held up his hand and took a deep breath as Sophie entered the room behind him, “Nothing yet?”  
Sophie walked into Brenna's bathroom, “Everything is still here. Let's look around the school before we start getting spooked out.”  
They filed out the door, closing it behind them and were soon combing the mansion, Chase keeping an eye on his phone to mark the time. “We're gonna miss our first class.”  
“Maybe she's at class early,” Sophie ventured meekly.  
They looked in the gymnasium where Logan ordered them to get to their classes. They assured him they would though they kept going until they came to Nala's class and Chase poked his head inside. Nala turned to them, mouthing the words, “Where's Brenna?”  
Chase shrugged, mirroring Nala's concerned look and backed out of the classroom.  
They all stood there, silent, none of them knowing where to look next. Suddenly Chase's eyes got wide and he started to race down the hall.  
“What the hell?..dawg what's wrong?” Brian cried as they sprinted after him.

Chase threw Brenna's door wide open and ran to her desk, peering underneath it, “Goddamn it!”  
Brian was leaning against the door frame panting while Sophie and Rachel stared into the room from the hallway, “What wrong with you, man? Gonna give a dude a heart attack running round like that.”  
Chase turned to them, “Her backpack is gone. I didn't think about it until just now.” He put his hands atop his head, “Shit!”  
“Damn,” Brian walked into the room and looked around, “You think she run off back home?”  
Chase was pacing the floor, hand over his mouth, “She couldn't. I mean there was no possible way. She didn't take the necklace when her father offered it to her so nothing there. No portal and she can't call the Bifrost or whatever it is they do because she was never recognized in Asgard so she's not considered a citizen.”  
“Recognized? That like being baptised?”  
“I guess, I don't know but it means she can't take the rainbow bridge home. So then where the hell is she?”  
Sophie looked out the window to the lake, “I think we should tell Miss Munroe we can't find her.”

 

“What do you mean you can't find her?”  
Ororo looked at Kurt who by now was standing before the easy chair he'd been sitting in when the group came rushing into her office.  
“We cannot find her. I mean she's disappeared,” Chase threw his hands in the air, “She left her cell phone and her laptop but took her backpack.”  
“How do you know that?”  
“We went into her room to look for her.” Sophie had her arms about her stomach, “I feel like sick. What if she just left for home...?”  
Chase put a hand to his forehead, “Sophie, geez....she can't have gone home, I told you...”  
“Where did you look for her?” Kurt was at the windows, scanning the grounds.  
“We been all over the school, Professor,” Brian joined him, “We even looked around outside. She ain't nowhere round here.”  
Ororo sat in her chair, running her fingers through her hair, “Okay, let's calm down. When did you talk to her last, Chase?”  
“Last night,” He flopped down into the easy chair, “Damn it I knew something was wrong. I shoulda gone with my gut instinct.”  
“What did she say?”Ororo paused, phone in her hand.  
“She claimed she was sick. She didn't come to movie night, DAMN!” He slapped the arms of the chair, “Why would she take off without saying anything to me? Where the hell would she go?”  
Ororo held up her hand, “Listen, I want the four of you to head to your classes. I'm going to make a couple phone calls.”  
The four of them groaned in unison as Chase shook his head, “With all due respect, Miss Munroe. I couldn't concentrate on my schoolwork. Not like this.”  
“None of us could.” Brian piped up.  
“Well I have calls to make that you can't be privy to so whether you go to class or go to the rec room, you can't be here,” she pointed towards the doorway, “I'll fetch you as soon as I'm done.”  
Chase stood up, felt Sophie's hand at his back as they headed out the door when Rachel paused, “Miss Munroe?”  
“Yes,”   
“Um, aren't the grounds under video surveillance?”  
Kurt rolled his eyes, “Ach, der cameras, of course, they should be checked as well. Very good, Rachel.”  
Ororo hung up the phone and turned to her computer, bringing up the video feed from the night before, “Well let's start at the front door. I'll set it to play forward at three times speed from ten p.m.”  
They all crowded behind her as the frames clicked by quickly. At about eleven-thirty, Chase pointed to the screen, “There she is, stop the camera and back it up!”  
They watched Brenna emerge from the doorway, pause, then start down the driveway until she was swallowed up by the darkness.  
“Shit, where the hell did she go? Do you have any feed at the front gate?” Chase peered at the monitor.  
“Hold on,” Ororo clicked on the file marked “Gate Camera” and set the clock to eleven-forty, again watching the feed move forward, cars whizzing by, their lights whiting out the camera as they passed. Finally Brenna passed through the main gate, took a piece of paper out of her jacket pocket, looked at it and turned left, walking down the road away from the school until the camera lost her again.  
“Okay, she's obviously missing. Now let me make my phone calls then we'll figure out our next move.”  
The four teenagers walked out of the room, talking amongst themselves rapidly as she looked at Kurt.  
“Could she have gone back to Asgard?”  
“Walking?”  
Ororo put her head down on the desk, “I don't know, have you got another explanation?”  
“She ran away in der first place, couldn't she do it again?”  
Ororo picked up the phone again, sighing as she began to punch numbers, “Fury is going to have a field day with this.”


	69. 69

The elevator doors slid open behind her as she took another deep breath and slowly blew it out. Her eyes were closed, she was in the Lotus position, the sun streaming in on her through the plate glass windows overlooking the Atlantic ocean. She took another breath, tried to ignore his muttering as he stepped behind the bar and dropped a couple ice cubes in a glass with a loud clink.  
“Are you listening to me?”  
Pepper shook her head, “Not on my lunch break. Talk to me in...,” She paused, took another breath, “Ten more minutes.”  
“I don't have ten minutes to wait.”  
Deep breath in, slowly out. The sound of liquid pouring.  
“Pepper.”  
She opened her eyes, her shoulders slumped as she rose to her feet and stretched, “Okay, fine. I'm taking those extra minutes tomorrow. Now what's so urgent that I can't finish meditating?”  
“Our little exchange student has taken off.”  
Pepper tilted her head, “Who?”  
“Brenna? You know...Destructo's daughter?”  
“You're not serious are you? Taken off where?”  
Tony swirled the ice in his glass, “Well If we knew, we'd have found her by now.”  
Pepper picked up her tablet from the counter of the wet bar and tapped the screen, “Could she have just returned home?”  
Tony shook his head as he walked to the windows, watching the surf crash against the rocks below, “According to those in the know, there's no way for her to get home. Her father has that magic necklace and she can't fly Air Asgard.”  
“There must be some way to find her. Is she on foot?”  
Tony turned to her, drained his glass, “She should be, she can't even drive.”  
“What about satellite feed?”  
Tony drained the rest of his drink, “I've had Jarvis scanning the satellite feeds all over the northern hemisphere since I talked to Fury but it's as if she's vanished. The last visual anyone's had of her was the feed from the school last night just before midnight,” He set the empty glass on the counter.  
“So now what?”  
Tony pulled out his sunglasses, “I'm going to New York. Meet up with Fury and go from there.”  
Pepper was slipping her flats on, “And this was turning out to be such a nice little stay-cation. I'll meet you at the penthouse.”  
Tony strode over to her, planting a lingering kiss on her forehead, “We had better find her fast before Destructo finds out and makes New York seem like a Sunday picnic.”

 

She felt so comfortable, warm under the heavy blankets. She burrowed further in, pulling them over her head hoping the alarm wouldn't go off for at least another twenty minutes. She stretched one arm out of the blankets and over her head, her knuckles tapping the wall at the head of the bed.  
Her eyes shot open. Where was her headboard with the little alcove? She sat up in a panic as she looked about the strangely familiar room, then down at herself. Gone were her t-shirt and jeans, replaced by a light yellow pair of hospital scrubs. Someone had undressed her while she was asleep and everything came rushing back as she recalled Chase's father shooting Garrett. Yelling at her as she pissed herself on the floor, being brought back to the van, given water to drink then falling asleep.  
She got out of the bed she'd been lying in. Across the room sat a tv on a stand, beside it, a round table with two chairs. In one corner near the door, there was a bathroom about the size of a small closet. She turned to face the bed and nearly dropped to her knees. She was in the room she'd dreamed about, the room where she'd seen the corpse.   
She flung herself as hard as she could at the door to her left, banging on it, screaming at the top of her lungs, “Let me out! Please, don't leave me here. LET ME OUT!”, until her hands were sore, her throat raw. She sank to her knees, forehead pressed to the door and fell to quiet sobbing. She'd never been more terrified in her life. She should have gone straight to Miss Munroe for help. They would surely have found her father.  
Only reluctantly did she get up and walk to the table, staying far away from the bed. As she pulled out a chair, the door slid open and she looked up to see David walk in. She circled behind the chair, gripping the back like a shield.  
“Did you sleep well?” David had a clipboard in his hands which he set on the table.  
“I want to know where my father is.”  
David rolled his eyes, gave her a good natured smile, “That old chestnut again? You'll see him again, I promise, as soon as we come to an arrangement.”  
“Arrangement?....,” Brenna swallowed hard, trying to remember their conversation, “I do not ken...,”  
David eyed her as he leaned over the table, “Helping me with your talents? Healing the ill? No?”  
She backed away from him, pulling the chair with her, “I do not....know. I do not want to stay in this room”   
He looked around, curious, “Why not? You have everything you need here. A bathroom, bed, table, chairs, even a TV.”  
She shook her head, “I have seen death here.”  
David smiled but she could see shock register in his eyes, “What do you mean you've seen death?”  
“In a dream. I saw a body in that bed,” She pointed with a shaky hand.  
“Well dreams..... are just that, dreams,” he pulled out the other chair, “People have tried to interpret them as premonitions, bad omens. They've given symbolism to them. In the end though, they're only dreams. The working of the subconscious mind to make sense of the information it's been given to process.”  
He started to write on the clipboard, “Sit down. I'm not going to bite you. I just want to ask you some questions.”  
But Brenna remained standing, “In Asagard, we believe in the ability of dreams to foretell the future, revisit the past. They mean something to us, they show us what may happen, show us the path our lives could follow.”  
David nodded, the tip of the pen in his mouth, “I've seen your father but I don't know what your mother looks like. Who do you take after?”  
“Take after?” She wanted to crawl under the table and hide from this man.   
“Do you look more like your father or mother?” David sighed.   
She kept her gaze on her hands, “I do not know. Helgi says I have my father's eyes, my mother's hair.”  
“They have produced a lovely combination.”  
She shivered, felt her behind bump the wall. She'd cowered herself into the corner next to the tv stand.  
“I want to see my father.”  
“You will,” David nodded, looked at his watch and stood up, “Damnit, I have a meeting coming up. I'll be back later tonight to see how you're doing. We'll talk more then. Leroy will bring you your lunch soon.”  
David's eyes slid to the TV, “Go ahead and turn it on. Might as well make yourself comfortable.”  
Brenna wanted to claw his eyes out, “People will be looking for me. My friends from the school. My Uncle Thor.”  
David smiled at her, “Doubtless they already are but they're going to be hard pressed to find you.”  
“I know people who can find me using the power of their minds alone. I have but to sit and wait,” Brenna tapped her head with a finger, throwing him a look of defiance.  
David walked to the wall beside the door and ran his hand along the painted surface as if he were caressing a lover, “You mean the telepaths? I've prepared for that agenda as well. Do you hear that hum?”  
She listened carefully, could just hear it, almost too faint to notice.  
“These rooms, this whole corridor is sheathed in a special kind of metal alloy. Not even the strongest telepath in the world could penetrate it. One of my colleagues was good enough to provide me with this barrier. If they find you, it certainly won't be with their minds.”  
She felt like crying again as he gave a low bow, “Please excuse me. I'm going to be late.”  
After the door shut behind him, she gave it the finger, Brian would have been proud. She sat down at the table and started to run through her options which took no time at all. There were none.  
The silence was deafening. The hum, now that she'd been made aware of it, drilled into her head, invaded her subconscious. At the very least, the tv would offer a diversion and by now she would be missed at the school. Perhaps they were looking for her. She would search for a news station.   
She walked to the TV, picked up the remote in front of it, hit the power button and dropped the remote to the floor.  
In a small carpeted room furnished only by a cot was her father, sitting on the floor, his arms wrapped around him, forehead resting on his bent knees.  
“Father,” she whispered, reaching towards the screen. Then louder, “Father!”  
And he raised his head.

 

He was starving, hungry enough that even the Midgardian equivalent of food would have seemed like a feast to him. The drugged water had lulled him into a light doze and so when he heard her, he was sure he'd been dreaming.. He rubbed his face, stretched out his legs and then he heard her again.  
“Father!”  
He scrambled to his feet, stumbling about, scanning the room, “Brenna?!”

 

He'd said her name, he could hear her!  
“Father, the gods wept! Father! Where are you?”  
“I do not know where I am. Where are you?”  
She watched him look at the ceiling, the corners of the room, staring at one point directly into the screen.  
“I am in a small white room with a bed and table and a TV. Oh Father, I have had horrid dreams of this room before. ”  
“How do I reach you?” She saw him walk to the door, bang on it with his fists and she began to cry again.  
“I do not know! I came to find you. Oh Father! It was awful. I was put into a van by an evil red man and brought to this house and Father, I saw a man get shot....!”

 

He could hear the fear in her voice. It brought him back to a time when she was little. It was their first year together in Rialo and Brenna had just turned seven seasons. She'd been playing with the boys in the village when an entourage had rolled down the main thoroughfare led by a nobleman, perched on a large gray stallion. Following along behind him were two massive dogs half as tall as Brenna, with great squarish heads and snow white coats. When they spied the children standing at the side of the road they set up a fierce barking, straining at the two leather straps the nobleman held tightly in his fist.   
He'd called to the dogs and they had heeled upon command but the damage was already done.  
She had screamed in terror, running straight into Eidra's arms, her words tumbling from her almost too fast to understand, her little hands holding Eidra's face, “Eidra, the dog barked at me! He wanted to bite me!”   
How he'd wanted to pick her up in his arms and bring her over to the dogs to show her they wouldn't hurt her. Help her be brave. But he only stood there listening to Eidra soothe her, stroke her hair.  
“We have to get out of here. David wants me to do something I do not think I can do.”  
“What, Brenna? Explain.”

Brenna sat on the floor before the TV, “He wants me to cure people. I can heal what is broken, break what is healed. I do not know if I can cure sickness. What if I try and fail?”  
“Do nothing for him,” Loki waved his hand, “Someone will find us.”  
“How? Father, no one knows where we are. I told no one where I was going.”  
She watched him sit on the cot at the far end of the room, “If I knew where you were, I would free myself from this room and find you.”  
“I am sorry Father, this is my fault,” she put her head in her hands.  
“No!” he cried, looking about the room, “Do not believe in the slightest that this is any fault of yours.”  
“But I ran away!” Brenna moaned, “If I had stayed on Asgard, we would not be here.”  
“I feared a return to palace life, to once again bring Odin's unforgiving eye to bear on me and my own. If I had listened to you, if I hadn't been a coward. If I had given you a bit of freedom, allowed you to take your place in the court...”  
“Father, may we say we were both wrong? That way we both bear the burden and you know sharing such a heavy load is always easier together.”   
He gave a sad smile, “You are so much like your mother. She has told me the same thing time and again.”  
“As she has me.”  
She was quiet for a minute, then, “I miss her.”  
“We will see her soon.”  
She had crawled back up onto the bed. Now she lay there staring at the screen, “Father,”

He raised his head about to answer when an image came to mind, unbidden. He could see Astrid the old seer laying in her bed, staring at nothing, patting his hand, could hear her voice, “You must make amends, you must save one to save both. Without the power of transformation, the butterfly will remain a caterpillar.”  
“Father, what is it?”  
Loki gazed about the room, “You have always called your mother, Mama, yet you have ever called me Father.”  
At first there came no response and he was about to ask if she had heard him but then her voice came, low, soft, “I called you Father out of respect.”  
“And you do not respect your mother?”

She wrapped herself in the blanket on the bed, gathered the pillow to her. How could she tell him she had been frightened of him from the day they'd met. How she had been horrified to learn he was her father after the stories Sylvan and Moran had told her. How serious he always seemed, that she felt she could never talk to him, bare her feelings for fear it would diminish her in his eyes, show her weakness. And yet, he'd shown no small measure of tenderness throughout her life though she'd refused to acknowledge it at the time. When he would travel, he would bring back presents for her though he always gave them to her mother to distribute. How intently he would watch over her wherever they went. The advice he sought to impart however sternly he delivered it to her. His fiercely protective stance that had always been present. When he'd brought her out to teach her the crossbow, she had been elated. Then this past Jul, when he tried to give her the Uruz with all its responsibility. She had promised she would be honest with him when next they met. She took a deep breath,  
“I have always been afraid of you. I remember when I first met you, when Helgi brought me to give you a hug, how stiff you were.”  
“I too was afraid. I thought you were lost to me and all at once I was a father with a little girl to whom I was a stranger..”  
“Sylvan and Moran told me stories about you to frighten me further. They called you cruel, proud, vain...and when I should have been calling them out for their insults, instead I was led to agree with them.”  
She watched him start to pace about the room, “Cruel? Did I ever once lay a hand upon you? You never lacked for food, clothing, shelter. You had everything you ever needed.”  
“Not everything I ever wanted.”  
“What more could I have given you?”

 

He waited for her to say he could have let her live in Asgard like she'd asked but her response stopped his feet.  
“Attention,” He could hear the pain in her voice and it broke his heart, “And love.”  
“Brenna,” he moaned, “You are my firstborn, my daughter. I have always loved you. It killed me to lose those years with you, to think you dead then to lose your mother. It was more than I could bear. When Helgi brought me to you as a baby, I had already fallen prey to madness. I could have let you in, could have seen you for who you were and I did not. I will never be able to give you back that time...”

She wiped her eyes, gritted her teeth, “Father?”

“What?”  
“While I have stayed on Midgard, I have seen and heard many things....about you.”  
He felt the strength leave his legs, walked to his cot and sat down. “Yes.”  
“Were they true?”  
She watched him nod his head and a cold chill ran through her, “New York? All those people? Why, why did you do it?”

“I was not well.”  
To tell her that he had been under the influence of the Chitauri would mean nothing to her. It would sound like a hollow excuse, especially to himself. Some of his actions had indeed been his own, fueled by unmitigated grief, rage, despair, seeking revenge for Eidra's death where there was none to be found.  
“I had lost all I loved, I thought there was nothing left for me.”  
“But to what end did the...,” she bit her lip to stop it from trembling, spat out the word as if it were pure poison, “Killing...of so many Midgardians assuage such emptiness? Return love to your life?”  
Loki covered his face with his hands, “I was not looking for love because I believed it was far beyond my reach. I wanted to vent my anger, I wanted to rend the realms with my rage, to deliver upon them the same agony that gripped my soul. Losing you and your mother tore my heart from me. In time It felt as if I had never possessed one and the madness overtook me.”

She was quiet.

“You are the reason I am here. I was led to believe this madman had already taken you prisoner. I hope you shall ken me when I tell you I came here to rip out his throat with my bare hands.”

“I cannot pretend to condone what happened when I was absent from you but I do heartily ken your reasons,” She smiled, “For David led me here with the belief that he had you imprisoned and so determined was I that I would find you, I did whatever he bade me to do but I swear, should the chance present itself, I shall happily join you in this new endeavor.”  
The man he had been then, the monster, was not the man who was sitting with his head in his hands. He was a Prince of Asgard. Perhaps a god to the people of Midgard, but to her he was her father. More than that...

“Papa,”  
She saw his head come up, the gentle smile on his face.  
“You have no idea how much joy that one word gives to me.”  
She sat up, the blanket still wrapped around her, “There are other things the Midgardians believe about us. They think you are a frost giant.”  
She heard him chuckle as he stood from the cot, “Would you like me to show you?”  
“What?”  
“If we are to be honest with one another, it is only meet that I lay all rumors to rest.”

He felt his skin change, harden, cool and he held his hands up before him,brilliant blue. He turned about slowly, heard her gasp.

“Good Freyr! This is why Nala was shocked when she met you. She could see you, could she not?”  
He nodded.  
“Does Mama know?” She stared at the markings on his skin, his eyes the color of rubies. In this form, he looked frightening, every bit a true warrior.  
The color began to fade from his skin until it had returned to its fair pallor and he rubbed his hands together as if he could wash the color from them.   
“It will remain our secret until comes there a time when she must know. Can you do this for me?”

Sharing a secret with him was akin to a miracle. There was so much she wanted to talk to him about but she was afraid to break the spell with too many questions. There would be time enough later. Were it not for the fact of their situation, she would be fairly bouncing about with excitement.  
“I will keep your secret....” the word still felt foreign though it was soothing, comforting to say, as if it would keep them safe like a talisman, “Papa.”

“Take care when they try to feed you. The water had Midgardian medicine that made me sleep.”

“They gave me the same water. But I am so hungry....and I am scared.” She tightened the blankets around her.  
“Eat when they bring the food. They will not hurt you. They need you.”  
“What about you?”

Loki wanted to reassure her. He did not want to break their new found trust so he did what he could, “They still need us both. Stay strong. We will leave this place together.”

The words themselves uplifted her and she lay down on the bed again, watching the screen until she could no longer keep her eyes open, “Papa, do not be afraid. I am so tired. I do not want you to worry should I not respond when you talk to me.”  
“Rest, Bren. I will be right here when you wake up.”  
But she never heard him. With her arm outstretched towards the screen and her head on the crook of her elbow, she was already asleep.


	70. 70

Ororo looked at the time in the corner of the screen. It was almost nine in the evening. The school had been crawling with agents all day analyzing the video feed, searching for evidence as to where Brenna could have been headed. They had even confiscated her laptop, discovering a recent search for the train station in Croton Falls. Agents had been sent there with Brenna's picture, they had even checked the station video feed with no luck. Currently the trail was cold and now Chase was pacing back and forth in her office in a panic.  
“What else can they do? What if she's in a ditch somewhere hurt...I'm not gonna even think about the other possibility.”  
“Chase,” Ororo sighed, “You have to calm down. There's not much you're going to do by getting worked up. We're all as concerned as you are but we don't have any leads. You said she couldn't go home on her own and there haven't been any reports of her Uncle here on earth since he brought her the letter from her mother. If you've got any ideas, let me know.”  
Chase stopped pacing, hands on his hips, “That's the thing. I'm at a loss.”  
“What about her father? Could he have met up with her? Maybe there's something going on at home? I don't know what more we can do but wait and see if the agents find anything.”  
Chase dropped down into the easy chair, “And Mister Light couldn't find anything either?”  
Andrew Light was the current Professor of Psychology at the school and the highest level telepath in residency. He had tried unsuccessfully to find Brenna. When they suggested he try Cerebro, he had balked.  
“No one has used that machine in quite some time. I'm no match for it, never was.” No matter how convincing the argument, they couldn't change his mind. They had even called Senator McCoy who was currently doing some research for them but they hadn't heard back from him yet.  
“Why don't you go get some sleep?”  
Chase sat forward, “Because I can't.”  
“You're going to have to try. I'll call you if we have any new developments.”

An hour later Brian and Chase were standing under the lights of the Croton Falls platform. Chase had walked the length twice though he wasn't sure what he was looking for.  
“Dude, maybe it's like Miss Munroe said. Maybe her daddy come got her, brought her back to the hood.”  
Chase shook his head, “It don't make any sense though. Why wouldn't she tell me? I mean if it was something as simple as that.”  
Brian looked out across the river at the lights on the distant shore, “Dunno, man. Maybe she was worried you was gonna go all to pieces and such.”  
“And maybe she was running away again, was picked up by some sickos and is lying somewhere dead.”  
Brian gripped his shoulder, “Now you can't go thinking like that, bro. It'll eat you up. We'll go with the fleeing to her homeland scene.”  
“I hope you're right.” Chase glanced once more around the platform.   
“Dude, so do I.”

“I still say ye should wait a day more.” Sally was holding Cait's hands as she tried to balance in the greening grass of the dooryard, “Ye shouldn't be traveling alone and as far along as ye are.”  
Eidra watched Moran heft the trunk into the back of the wagon, “I shall be fine. Helgi will be with me.”  
As if cued, Helgi emerged from the cottage with an armful of blankets, “I doubt we will need these today.”  
Ein-mánuðr, the Spring month, had come in unseasonably warm and Eidra nodded her agreement.  
“Helgi, will ye talk sense to her?” Cait started to squeal, indignant as Sally scooped her up in her arms.  
Eidra smiled at Cait. The night before, she had taken two steps on her own before plopping down onto the rag rug at Eidra's feet. She was determined that Loki would not miss another step.  
“Loki has likely been held up at the palace for some reason. I wish to return home and open the house for his return, save him the trouble of coming all the way here.”  
“Perhaps I should come with ye. I've not seen the new manor yet and I would feel a sight better about letting ye travel were I there to help ye if things went awry.”  
Eidra took Cait from Sally's arms, “I would welcome the company but please do not feel you must come on my account. I am capable of taking care of myself.”  
“In this condition? Sure and I'll grab me dagger to boot.”  
Eidra smiled, leaned over and kissed Sally's cheek, “I could not ask for better friends.”  
Sally disappeared into the cottage dodging Fen who came running to the wagon with his box of animals, “Are we ready, Mama?”   
Eidra handed Cait up to Helgi, “If you will climb into the wagon and settle down, we shall soon be off.”

 

As they left Rialo behind, Sally riding Lilac alongside the wagon, Eidra felt better. She was heading home. This would go a long way to ease the discomforted feelings she had been having for two days. She wanted to see Loki, hear his voice, only then would her concern abate.  
“The king is likely working him to a frazzle in return for taking a holiday,” Eidra felt Helgi's hand at her back.  
“I will take him to task for it if that be the case.”  
“Loki?”  
Eidra turned in the seat, “No! The king! He tends toward selfishness with his brother. The gods grant he find a new mate soon so I might steal some time with my husband.”  
“I wonder, does the king's eye fall on some unlucky woman as of yet?” Sally mused.  
Eidra nodded, “There is one, a Midgardian woman by the name of Jane. He wooed her some seasons past but the Allfather demanded he pick a queen and so he was forced into the marriage with that harpy of a woman, Sif.”  
“You should not speak so of a queen, Eidra.” Helgi scolded her, “Little ears listen and innocent mouths issue without malice.”  
Eidra looked at Fen who had stopped playing with Cait and was now watching her, “Well met, Helgi....Sally you will love the manor house and our household, ah which reminds me. I must stop in Andara to fetch our cook Gretten. He must be wondering if we have discharged him.”

By the time they left Andara, the sun was past its zenith. They had been invited in by Gretten's sister while Gretten packed his things. She could hardly contain her excitement at what she termed such esteemed company, plying them to linger with cider, buttermilk and shortbread. Eidra did so politely, letting Berta fuss over Cait until finally Gretten bussed Berta on both cheeks and took his leave. Eidra extended an invitation to visit the manor when Berta had time. One would have thought that Eidra had made her a noblewoman as she bowed deeply and kissed Eidra's hand before Gretten chided her.  
They were delayed, furthermore, by the need to stop infrequently so Eidra could avail herself of the bushes, cursing her weak bladder as she struggled to balance her swollen belly and squat at the same time. When they at last turned down the road to the manor house, the sun was low in the sky. As she drew Blackberry to a stop in the dooryard, she noticed the house was dark. Helgi and Sally sat quiet, regarding the shuttered windows. Fen jumped down from the wagon and ran to the door as Eidra looked down the lane to her left where the servants quarters were. She could see some distant, Hal and Vesta out in their yard, Hal staring at them but unable to do much else. His arms were full of linens that Vesta was unpinning from a clothesline.  
Eidra climbed down from the wagon, “I am going to fetch Hal and Vesta to open the house. I can fetch Ingrid on the morrow. Light the lamps inside and start a fire will you Helgi. It is growing cool.”   
Gretten offered Helgi his hand as she stepped from the wagon, looking over his shoulder at Eidra, “Will you be wanting me to put on tea, Milady?”  
“Please, Gretten. I shant be long.”  
Sally had dropped to the ground, Lilac's reins in hand, “Do ye want me to go with ye?”  
Eidra waved to her, “No, help Helgi if you will. Corral Cait.”

Eidra started down the lane, stopping a moment to catch her breath, feeling the babies inside tumbling, fighting for space. Finally she reached the gate to their dooryard. As she saw Hal's face light up at the prospect of resuming his duties, she smiled.   
“Hal, has my husband been to the manor today?”  
Hal's confused expression made her blood run cold, “Milady, I was of a mind that he was still in your company. I have not seen his Majesty since you left on your holiday.”  
“He has not been here. You are sure of it?”  
“Well,” Hal hesitated, “Vesta claims she thought she heard his voice a few days past. She had opened the door to put out the cat and heard shouting down by the manor house but it was too dark for her to see anything. Being the faithful servant I was, I ventured down the lane to the house but by then whoever had been there had left the grounds,” he rolled his eyes, “If in fact there had been anyone there in the first place.”  
“There was,” Vesta muttered, “I care not whether you believe me.”  
“Vesta!” Hal cried, gesturing to Eidra, “Mind your manners.”  
Vesta curtseyed to Eidra, “Begging Milady's pardon.”  
Eidra glanced back toward the house, “On the morrow, I am riding to Asgard. I must find what my husband is about. He rode to Asgard from Rialo to attend the king and was supposed to come fetch me nearly three days ago.”  
She shielded her eyes from the setting sun, gazing toward the barns. “The stable boy has been tending the livestock has he not?”  
Hal nodded, “I saw him outside the barn only just a short time ago before Milady rode into the dooryard. He should still be there. He rarely finishes his chores before dark. I have seen him trot past with a lantern in his hand many times.”

Eidra could hear singing inside the large barn as she searched her head for the stable boy's name. She so rarely dealt with him, the barns being Loki's concern.   
“Eldred?” she called into the doorway and the singing stopped. The scurry of feet along with the clip clop of horse's hooves was heard as Eldred emerged from the barn with a rope in his hands, “Milady,” He bowed low, “What might I do for you?” but she could say nothing, her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth for behind him, the rope tied to his bridle, was Lightning.  
“Milady?” the young boy held out a tentative hand, worry crossing his freckled face, “Are you taken ill?”  
“Why is Lightning here at the barn? When did your master come home?”  
“His Majesty? I know not, only that a couple days past, I opened the barn to find Lightning in his stall. I did not see the Prince.”

Helgi screeched when the front door swung open with a bang and Eidra came rushing inside. “Something is wrong.”  
“What do you mean? What did Hal say?” Helgi was at her elbow, guiding her into the sitting room toward her chair before the fireplace.  
“Hal said Loki had not returned to the manor but when I went to question the stable boy, he had Lightning by the bridle. He said he entered the barn a few days past to find Lightning in his stall,” She put her hands to her stomach, “Where would he go that he would leave on foot?”  
Cait had pulled herself to stand at Eidra's feet and Eidra reached down to lift her up.  
“Maybe he has gone hunting,” Fen ventured. He'd slid up to her elbow and she put her hand to to his face.  
“Perhaps he has gone with your uncle then? It must be so,” she looked at Helgi, concern etched upon face, “To be sure, I will ride to Asgard at sunrise.”  
“You put yourself in great danger riding about the countryside in your condition!” Helgi tugged at the sleeve of her dress,” Eidra you must take care.”  
“I shall take the wagon,” Eidra assured her as she kissed Cait's forehead, keeping to herself the feeling that something was not right.

 

He watched the red LED numbers on the clock stove change from seven forty-four to seven forty five. Seventy-two hours. It had been three days since he'd walked into his empty house, picking up the phone to call David and tell him the letter had been delivered.   
Five hours later, David had returned the call, screaming at him for near to fifteen minutes. He'd been surprisingly calm, in retrospect. He had informed David circumstances had been beyond his control, the woman David wanted the letter delivered to hadn't been where she was supposed to be. David had warned him then, if this endeavor failed, he would never see Anna again.  
Martin's only response was a flat accusation, “You'd be guilty of murder,” He'd cried himself out long before this.  
David reply filled him with sick dread, “There are other ways to disappear. Murder would be kinder.”

Martin stood up from the couch and trudged up the stairs to his bedroom door where he stopped to peer into the dark room. He couldn't bear to sleep in the bed anymore. In fact, he tried to stay out of the house as much as possible. He'd sat in a booth of the local pub for two nights counting, with his cell on the table before him, a pint in his hand, waiting. He would walk home hours later and sit on the couch, falling asleep there until morning when he would wake to wait again.  
Martin walked downstairs, turning on the TV as he sat back down on the couch listening to but not really hearing the world news on CNN. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to look at it once more then his attention was drawn back to the tv. The newscaster, a pretty woman with skin the color of mahogany, was saying something about a nationwide search for a young girl from New York. Martin sat forward.  
“.....identified as going by the name of Brenna. The last name has been withheld for security reasons. She is fifteen years old,” A picture of a lovely girl with beautiful blue eyes and dark hair flashed on the screen, “....and is believed to be traveling alone. She was last seen in the vicinity of a private school outside of Salem Center, New York in Westchester county where she is a student. Billionaire philanthropist Tony Stark has been privately funding the concentrated search efforts for the girl and is offering a substantial reward for any information in regards to her location. Anyone with such information is asked to call the New York state police....”  
Martin shut off the TV, suddenly agitated. Stark was....Martin screwed his eyes shut and tapped his head, damn his memory. Ah, he was the man with the iron suit. The superhero...Martin's eyes went wide.  
He jogged up the stairs and into his bedroom where he grabbed his suitcase with a trembling hand, flinging it onto his bed while he began to dial the operator with the other. He opened his dresser drawer and started to toss shirts and trousers into the open suitcase, “Yes, Heathrow airport?....ticket sales....thank you...”  
Martin briefly considered trying to call Mister Stark but there was no guarantee he would believe him. Stark might even think he was a quack. Martin reached below the clothes in the bottom drawer of his dresser and pulled out an envelope. He was going to bring one important piece of evidence with him, the original letter written in David's own hand. Martin stuffed it in the suitcase and zipped it up.   
He was going to fly to New York, find Mister Stark and hand him that letter.


	71. 71

Brenna awoke early. At least it felt early. There were no windows through which she could note the passing of time, no clock on the wall. She could only tell time by the food that was brought to her. Two days previous, she had awakened from a doze and turned on the TV. When she found nothing but static, she was hysterical, pounding on the door and yelling until the big guard named Leroy came to the room.   
Before he opened the door, he had informed her he was armed with a Tazer, proceeding to explain that the device would deliver a very painful electrical charge should she try to escape or otherwise harm him. He'd then entered the room, standing there impassive as she begged him to tell her why she couldn't see her father.  
“Doctor's orders. When he's asleep, the feed shuts down after a certain span of inactivity.”  
She nodded, wiping the tears from her face with a hiccuping sob which seemed to move the big man.  
“.....and a little piece of advice. If I were you, I wouldn't talk about anything you don't want the Doc to know. He monitors your convos.”   
Brenna thought back to what she'd talked about with her father the day before. Home, how worried Mother would be by now, and of course just how David had lured her away from the school. She had mentioned the necklace, though her father had wisely been cautious about discussing it. It had come into play when he had asked Brenna what compelled her to come to the Doctor's house.

“He sent me a picture of the Uruz along with the letter. I was so worried about you. I knew something had happened because you are never without the necklace.”  
Her father had put a hand to his chest at the place where it would rest, “It is a symbol of the joy in my life.”  
“It is dangerous in the wrong hands.”  
Her father had shaken his head as he looked about the room, “The less said about such things, the better. If one knows not what it does, it cannot be a danger.”  
Leroy had looked at his phone, “It's about six in the a.m., breakfast comes at seven. He'll be up by then. No more fits, okay?”

Now she sat on the bed, waiting, listening, watching the TV which was still blank. How long could he sleep? She heard footsteps. Likely Leroy coming to take her tray. She watched the door, heard the lock click open.  
David smiled at her as he walked in. With him, he had a balding, heavyset man in green hospital pants and a black t-shirt with white lettering that read “Doctor Who” under a picture of a blue rectangle with the word “Police Call Box” on it. The man also sported thick glasses that he kept pushing up on his nose every few seconds.  
“Brenna. This is our first experiment. I'd like you to meet our test subject, Don Macy. Don this is Brenna.”  
“Youse sure dis is her name?” Don had started to extend his hand but drew it back, the other still busy with his glasses, “Cause dat's not what Harry said.” His stare was disconcerting and she looked away. “See dere, Harry said her name is Mary, furthermore, she ain't from around here,” Don grabbed David's arm, “And youse know what I mean by around here,” He winked at David who put a hand at his back.  
Brenna had to suppress a smile at the strange man's accurate assessment  
“Brenna,” Don shook his head as David continued, “Don drove taxi in the city for fifteen years, he lived in Brooklyn. Seven years ago, he was involved in a bad accident. He was in a coma for a month. When he came out of it, he had developed schizophrenia, a disease of the mind. He lost his job, his house, his wife...”  
“The FBI came an' took her. Dragged her away from the dinner table on meatloaf night, the bastards,” Don put a hand to his mouth, “'Scuse me. A damn shame.”  
“.... he was remanded here for treatment and here he stays.”  
Brenna had put some distance between her and the two men and now stood by the TV.   
“I am very sorry to hear of it.”  
David held out his hand to her and she approached but kept her own hands clasped behind her back.   
“This is why we're here. Brenna, why I wanted you to come here. I want you to try and help him. Cure him. Let him go back to his family a whole man.”  
Brenna looked at Don then at David, “I told you, I know not whether I can cure diseases. Ask me to heal an arm or a leg, a tear, a wound.”  
David took Don's free hand and Don yelped, “Hey I already got fingerprinted, take it easy dere!”  
“He is wounded! What's wrong with him may be the result of a brain injury. Can't you heal injuries?”  
Brenna gave a quick nod but stepped back, “If it is not? Perhaps the injury awakened what was already there.”   
She recalled reading at the school about people who'd been injured, lapsed into a coma and awakened talking with a foreign accent, had been able to fix a car without ever cracking a manual, could do long sums in their heads. Some did indeed suffer injury to the brain, for others there was no plausible explanation. The list was endlessly fascinating. However, this situation was anything but.  
“We know what hangs in the balance Brenna. Would it hurt you to try?”  
“Do not threaten me,” she muttered as David held out Don's hand again.  
“It's not a threat,” David leaned in to her, “ it's a promise.”  
Brenna wanted to claw his eyes out, spit in his face. Instead, she took Don's hand and shuddered. It was clammy, trembling.  
“Hey girly, whatcha doin'? I gots a t'ing with people touchin' on me.”  
Brenna closed her eyes, seeing the map of Don's body laid out before her. Old fractures, tears in the ligaments of his right leg, scrapes, cuts. An old stab wound. Don started to pull his hand from hers but she growled, “Stand still!” and Don blew out a large breath that smelled of wintergreen.  
Still further she looked until she found what she was looking for and she wanted to cry again. As she had expected, there was nothing there to cure. She saw the brain, saw the old damage, broken and healed blood vessels. There was nothing wrong to the naked eye. No bleeding wound, no severed arteries. Neither was there anything to do for him. She could unheal and reheal the old wound but it would do nothing to relieve his symptoms.   
She let go of his hand, bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling, “I only found fractures, cuts. I saw nothing I could heal that would help him.”  
Don was rubbing his hand, he'd ceased his endless quest to keep his glasses on his nose for a moment.  
“What'd she do? Vulcan mind meld or somethin'? Cause she ain't gonna get nothing from me.” he tapped his head, “I was recitin' the alphabet all the while she was holding my hand, stops them from brainwashing ya.”  
Brenna looked at David, waiting for him to explode but his smile was far more disconcerting. “You lie,” He glared at her as he put his hand on Don's back again, “Come Don, it's not safe to have you out of the ward for so long is it.”  
“I told ya dat but do youse listen to me, nooo.”  
She waited until the door closed behind them to rush to the TV where she yelled at the static, “Papa, I am so sorry! Papa!”

 

Loki heard the door and opened his eyes. Quite often before battle, a warrior would meditate, center himself, clear his mind so nothing could distract him from the ensuing chaos. It had been ages since he'd felt such a need, at least not until Brenna had run away. Now he knelt on the rough carpet, breathing deep, his hands palm up on his thighs. He closed his eyes again as David walked over to him.   
“You still haven't eaten anything. It's been what, three days. You need your strength.”  
He let David wait, breathe in, breathe out, focus on your target, see your enemy before you...  
“Man can't go more than a week without water.”  
Loki opened his eyes, “I do not trust your food, certainly not your water.”  
“Okay, tell you what. Why don't I take a drink of the water first, in good faith.”  
Loki watched David walk to the tray of food near the door, unscrew the bottle and take a swig of the water.  
“See? Nothing wrong with it...” Then David started to sway, caught himself against the wall, “Whoa, damnit. I guess I picked the wrong bottle...”  
Loki remained impassive, in the same position until David chuckled and stood upright, “You're not much for a sense of humor are you?”  
“You are mad.”  
David shrugged, set the water bottle back down on the tray.  
“Nevertheless,” deep breath in, and out, “..what I would find humorous at this moment, you most certainly would not.”  
David tilted his head, “For instance?”  
Loki looked at the tray and smiled, “The fork wedged securely in your eye socket.”  
“Hmmph,” David grunted, “you'd be right...” He began to pace a circle around Loki, “Alright then, shall we play your favorite game? Question time? Then we're going to let you get washed up...take a real shower. Would you like that?”  
Loki rose from the floor to turn to David, “Do not address me as you would a child.”  
David ignored him, sat down on the cot and tossed a book onto the carpet, “Let's talk about you again because you're such an interesting subject.”  
Loki bent over and picked up the book, reading the title with genuine amusement.   
“Norse Mythology.”  
“Ancient mythology. It's what our ancestors have believed for centuries. Tell me, are you a god or is this all just bullshit?”  
“To you I would seem a god. I am versed in spell magic. I possess physical strength far stronger than you many times over. My endurance outstrips what your fragile bodies could ever handle.”  
David seemed to be writing something on the clipboard, “So that explains the facility video.”  
Loki peered at him, “What?”  
“Oh come on. Did you forget entirely? When those agents shot at you in New York. Then you killed them? Ring a bell?”  
Loki walked towards him, “Our battle armor is far superior, your weapons are no match for it. Asgardian steel, the smithing methods of the Dokkalfar. My sword could cut through the metal hull of one of the tanks your military so prize with little resistance.”  
“Don't suppose the technology would be available to us.”   
When Loki didn't answer he continued on, “I've read about the gods before and it's always been my belief that they're immortal. I read this book,” he pointed to the book in Loki's hands, “And it says you're not. Want to set me straight?”  
Loki opened the book, flipped through the pages, “We are mortal just as you. Long lived yes, but in the end, we too will die as must all beings.”  
David wrote something, “What about your offspring, your wife. Are they gods?”  
“Again it is a human interpretation though I would not suggest you test it. Suffice it to say they are far superior.”  
David stood from the cot, “You're just a very long lived strong man who knows a little magic. Tell me what everyone was so afraid of when you visited New York.”  
Loki stepped closer to him, “I was not alone in my task. I was a weapon, a means to an end. Still I have always found a demonstration is much more effective. Perhaps I shall show you how quick it is to break someone's neck and snap their spine. ”  
David grinned, “Maybe another time.”  
“Why have I not been able to speak with my daughter today?” Loki threw the book to the floor, growing more irritated at each exchange.  
David walked past him to the door, his tone suddenly turned somber, “We had business to deal with first. You'll talk with her later.” The door slid open and Leroy walked in,“We'll show you to the shower room.”

Loki was marched to the end of the corridor to a door which opened up to reveal six shower heads, three on each side of a tall tiled barrier which led to a tiled floor. There were windows in this room but they were narrow and high up the wall. There were wooden benches to his right and cubbyholes with towels in them.  
He turned to David and Leroy, “Shall I not be afforded even the smallest measure of privacy?”  
“I'm so sorry. Decorum will have to be dispensed with for today. I don't want you to slip away while we're not looking. Bath soap is in the dispensers on the wall.”  
Loki made no move towards the showers, heard behind him footsteps and a metallic squeaking that echoed in the tiled room.  
“Your daughter isn't quite cooperating the way I want her to but she's just a young girl. I want her to help me out of the goodness of her heart but when she disobeys, can I really punish her like I wish to? No, because I don't want to hurt her, damage her. I can, however, get my point across another way.”  
Loki stared into the shower room, turned to inform David of his refusal to submit to such indignity when he spied Leroy, pale, his jaw set, a large metal nozzle in his hands. The stream of water hit Loki with the force of a linebacker, taking his feet from beneath him. The back of his head collided hard with the tiled floor and he drew in a choking breath as the stream of water hit him in the face. He turned onto his hands and knees, tried to regain his footing but the water kept him down. It felt as if tiny needles were being driven into his skin, his sides, back, legs, feet, arms at full force. He struggled to turn away from the water but there was nowhere to hide. He felt as if he were drowning.  
“You see, Loki. Hurt her and you get angry, maybe tear up the place a bit. Hurt you and she'll do anything we ask. It's touching really. The bond between a father and daughter.”  
“Stah...,” Loki tried to gasp, take a breath. Water poured into his mouth down his throat and he gagged as the cold water hit his empty stomach. “STAH...ST....OP!”  
He managed to get his knees beneath him as he pressed his face up against the tile wall under the shower heads, arms wrapped about his stomach and still Leroy kept the hose aimed at him, “PLEASE!” He cried, took a breath and put his hand to the floor, “Jeg kaller Tors lyn til min hånd!”   
And David was suddenly on his back on the tiled floor, groaning as Leroy slid down the wall beside the hose.  
Loki gritted his teeth as he felt the electricity flow through his body. He squeezed his eyes shut as it tensed every muscle in unison but at the very least the water had stopped. He let himself drop to the floor then, shivering with exhaustion, pain wanting to cry, to scream, refusing to give David the satisfaction of such a reaction.  
David rose slowly to stand, leaning against the tile wall. He was soaked through. Leroy had managed to regain his feet as well and he was starting for Loki when David held up his hand.  
“You're going to wish you hadn't done that. Leroy, get him up on his feet. See how he enjoys being in cold wet clothes for the night.”  
Leroy lifted Loki up from the floor, supporting him as they walked back out into the hallway, depositing him in his room where David watched him sink to the carpet. In another day or so, he'd be begging Brenna to do what David said. He was being worn down, worn out. He was indeed just a man and all men had their breaking points. Without another word, David closed the door and headed down the corridor behind Leroy.


	72. 72

72.

She steadied herself on the hand of the servant who'd trotted out to the wagon as she reined in Blackberry before the entryway into the palace.   
“Where is the king?”  
“Milady, he is still abed I believe,” the servant waved over a young boy, “ Take the wagon, water the horse,” then he bowed to Eidra. “I shall announce your arrival.”  
As she followed the servant through the halls, she ventured to ask him, “Has Prince Loki been here?”  
The servant stopped so quickly she had all she could do not to run into him, “Milady he has not been at the palace for days.”  
“Days....” She swallowed hard.  
“Indeed. The King has been waiting on him”  
“Very well,” she nodded, “carry on.”

The servant knocked on Thor's bedchamber door, waiting until they heard a sleepy voice, “Who disturbs me at such an early hour?”  
There were muted voices from inside, then, “Enter.”  
The servant opened the door a crack and stuck his head inside, “Sire, the Lady Eidra is here to see you.”  
Eidra heard a flutter to sheets and the thump of footsteps as the servant backed out of the way and Thor appeared, tying his robe about him. Through the open door she saw a woman she did not recognize sitting up in bed watching them.   
“Your Majesty,” Eidra bowed, “Might I inquire as to the whereabouts of my husband?”  
The look on Thor's face frightened Eidra, “I was about to ask you the same question. When last I saw him, he said he was going to fetch you from Rialo where you were staying with friends. I have not seen him since.”  
When she had awakened that morning before sunrise, she turned over in bed, praying she would find Loki beside her.   
Now she put a hand to her belly as she told Thor what she had found when she'd returned home. His horse stabled, the raised voices Vesta had heard.  
“Though I fear it be a futile effort, have the palace searched.” Thor waved Eidra into the bedchamber as the servant bowed low.  
“Immediately your Majesty.”

Eidra stood near the door while Thor walked to the bed and presented his hand to the woman sitting there, the blanket pulled up to her neck. “Jane, may I introduce to you Loki's wife, Eidra, princess of the realm. Eidra, Miss Jane Foster of Midgard..”  
Eidra nodded to the woman who smiled at her, returning the gesture. She was petite, with long brown hair and eyes to match though Eidra could see determination in them. She hardly seemed a match for the hulk of a man that was Thor.  
“Your Majesty, I do not believe he is here in the palace.”  
“Nevertheless, we must be thorough,” Thor threw open his large wardrobe, pulled out a tunic and breeches then began to untie his robe. Eidra turned away, catching Jane as she shook her head and they smiled together.  
“Thor, must you?”  
Eidra heard muffled laughter, “You women are too modest. How think you we enter this world?”  
“And we're just as quickly dressed when we arrive,” Jane chided him.  
Thor grunted, “I will have the kingdom searched for him.”  
“Where would he go without his horse?”   
Thor sat down on the bed to pull on his boots. “Where would he go save here or home?”  
Jane pulled her robe from beneath the bedcovers and slipped it over her head, “Could he have gone to Earth?”  
They both turned to her, then looked at each other.  
“Why would he go to Earth?” Thor stood from the bed.  
“Well his daughter's there isn't she?” Jane was now picking clothes up from the floor on her side of the bed, “If you'll excuse me, I'm a bit more modest than him.”  
Jane slipped behind a great silk dressing screen beside the wardrobe, “I think we should consider all possibilities.”  
“If you believe it warrants investigation, we will return to Midgard.”  
“As shall I.”  
Thor shook his head, “It is not meet you should travel in such a condition.”  
“ 'Tis my husband we are searching for. If you should find him, I wish to be the first to give him a sound beating for worrying me so.”  
Thor met Jane's eyes over the screen and he shrugged, “If you will stay with Director Fury while we are on Midgard I shall permit it. My brother would never forgive me if something happened to you under my watch.”  
“Agreed.”

David sat at the dining table with a sheaf of papers before him that he couldn't concentrate on. The grandfather clock in the hallway filled the silence with loud ticks, reminding him of the agonizing passage of time. Adam set a cup of tea down at his elbow and glided away soundlessly.  
He hadn't seen home in two days. This morning, Doctor Egan had discovered him asleep on the couch in his office. He'd then spent a half hour lecturing him on how important it was to the hospital to review the upcoming budget proposal. He'd been given the monster pile of paperwork two weeks ago. It was now the furthest thing from his mind.  
He had to find a way to convince Brenna what he was doing was a worthy thing, that she would be helping very sick people. It was getting more dangerous by the day to have them here. Martin's housekeeper, Anna, had lapsed into catatonia two days after she'd arrived and it had been up to Leroy to see that she was eating, spoon feeding her at least once a day. He'd demanded a bonus for this, stating that nursemaid wasn't in his job description. David gave him whatever he asked though he couldn't have cared either way what happened to the woman. However, until he saw this was going to work, he was keeping his bargaining chips.  
He had listened to the exchange between Loki and Brenna after he'd brought him back to his room wet and cold. She had sat on the floor and wailed, asked him to forgive her, saying she had tried to do what David had asked. David was forced to wonder if she had really told him the truth, forced to admit there was a possibility that she wouldn't be able to help him. He would try again soon. He had to. Loki was clearly a threat, the shock he'd delivered to them in the bathroom had made that clear and David wanted to neutralize that threat as soon as possible.  
“Your son called two days ago. I took a message.”   
David looked up at Adam who was standing off to his side, “What did he say?”  
“He wanted to tell you that his....girlfriend” Adam wrinkled his nose with distaste at the use of such base words, “...had run off, in case you hadn't seen the national news.”  
He'd been unable to avoid it, in fact, Brenna's face had been all over the TV, internet.   
“Would you like me to ring him up, sir?”  
David shook his head, “Not right now, Adam. I have this proposal to read over.”  
Adam simply stood there until David looked up at him again, “Is there something else?”  
Adam seemed to weigh his thoughts, “I believe your reach exceeds your grasp this time, sir.”  
“Thank you, Adam.”  
David bent over the proposal and turned another page. Adam lingered a moment longer then disappeared into the shadows cast by the late afternoon sun streaming into the dining room windows.

 

 

She lay on her bed listening to the sounds coming from the TV. His hoarse cough as he lay on the cot, his voice, when he spoke, had dropped an octave. She had known her father to fall ill only a few times, never sick enough to lay him low like this.   
When she had seen him soaking wet and shivering, she was sure David had been the cause though her father would say nothing of it. She had told him she would try to do what David wanted. He'd hung his head, lain down on the cot where he now remained.  
She saw the door open and Leroy set a tray on the floor, closing the door behind him. When her father didn't move she called to him.  
“Papa, please eat. You are not well.”  
No answer.   
“Papa?”

 

 

He picked his head up off the pillow and opened his eyes. The smell of the food drew him like fine perfume. Four days....or was it five? He couldn't recall how long they'd been imprisoned here.  
He'd given in the day before, drinking the water on the tray. Mercifully it only did what it was supposed to do. It slaked his thirst, staved off his hunger. The chills had started that evening after David had hosed him down in the showers. He'd lain on the carpet of his room listening to Brenna sob, each tear choked plea, every cry of “Papa,” tearing at his heart until all he could think of was how he would murder David when all was made right again. At this point, it was one of the few thoughts giving him the impetus not to give up, the other being Eidra and the rest of his family. Eidra had surely been made aware now of his disappearance. He had to hope people were looking for them, fighting the war for he was losing the battle.  
“Papa, I command you to eat!”  
Loki smiled, the first time he had reason to in the last couple of days.  
“Your will be done,” He croaked as he pushed himself upright, fighting the vertigo that sapped the strength from his limbs. Sheer force of will brought him to walk to the tray where he dropped to the floor beside it.  
“You too are eating, yes?”

Brenna looked at her own tray of food. She picked up the cup of pudding and a spoon. “I am, though the fare here leaves much to be desired.”  
She watched him as he picked up a banana, “Indeed, how does one eat this strange item?”  
She giggled, “You peel it. It is a banana. They grow in the tropical climates on Midgard.”  
He pulled at the top on the fruit, “Hmm.”  
“Bend it backwards.”  
The skin split and he broke off a piece of the banana, sniffing at it, “Have you had one of these?”  
“Yes, I love them. Go ahead, try it.”   
He put the piece in his mouth and chewed, his stomach churning at the anticipation of food once again.  
“Well?”  
“ 'Tis strange, not altogether unpleasant.” A fit of coughing seized him then and he held his sides, the banana abandoned on the tray.  
“You are sick.”  
He grabbed the water bottle from his tray and took a swallow, considered what he could say to ease her mind and found nothing but reassurance, “I will be fine, Bren. I will eat so I may gain strength.”  
“David said he was going to bring me another patient today. What if I cannot heal this one either?”  
Loki sighed, “It does not matter. You must stay strong. If ever you find the chance to escape, you take it. Do you ken?”  
“No.”  
“Brenna, you will honor this one request, it is all I ask.”

Brenna stared at the screen, “How can you ask me to leave you here?”  
She saw him pick up the banana again and break off another piece, “Consider this then, if you escape, they will know where we are, where I am.”  
Brenna shook her head though she knew he couldn't see her, “What if David takes his anger out on you?”

He dropped the banana onto the tray, ran his fingers through his unkempt hair, agitated, “It matters not! What is of import is you. I should have ordered you back to Asgard months ago.”  
“I would not have obeyed you.”  
“None of this would be happening had I made the right decision,” he groaned.  
“This is not your fault.” Brenna stood from the bed where she'd been sitting.  
“Do you not see? I have neglected to do the one thing I should have excelled at. I have failed you, as a parent, I have failed you!” he cried, his voice hoarse.  
“How can you say such a thing, what have you failed at?”  
“I have failed to keep you safe!” he roared and was wracked by another fit of coughing.  
“Papa,” she murmured, “I too have failed. I did not obey you. I did not respect your wishes that I remain home as becomes a proper daughter. Did we not agree that we were both at fault? Did we not agree to let the past lie?”  
“I find I cannot. Someday when you have children of your own, you will ken. Now listen to me and heed my order. Escape if the opportunity presents itself.”  
She gathered her pillow to her and hugged it, “I will Papa.........”  
She saw his face ease in relief, “ 'Tis all I ask.”  
“Papa.....I love you.”  
His throat stung, tightened, as he nodded, put his hand to his chest, unable to speak, unable to see Brenna's sad smile.


	73. 73

“What the FUCK did you just say?”  
Eidra was taken aback by Fury's reaction. She gripped the back of one of the chairs in front of his desk.  
Thor frowned, his answer tinged with irritation, “I said we cannot find my brother. We wished to know if he was here on Midgard.”  
Eidra felt the babies tumble for space. She inched forward, Jane's hand on her shoulder as she made her way to the seat of the chair.  
“Y'all might want to sit down.”  
Jane took a seat beside Eidra who had begun to tremble but Thor remained standing.  
“I thought you were here because of your daughter,” Fury came around from behind the desk to stand in front of them.  
“No,” Eidra stuttered, “We we..were hoping she might know where her father is.”  
“May we call her?” Jane added.  
Fury crossed his arms, eying Thor, “Eidra, your daughter is missing.”  
Eidra felt the world start to spin on its axis, heard a shout and was plunged into darkness....

...she coughed, waved her hand before her face, touched something tiny, then another hand. She opened her eyes, looking about to see faces peering down. Two agents, one whom she recognized, Thor, Jane, and Fury.  
“Lily?”  
Lily was holding a small bottle in her hand, “Sorry about that, smelling salts are nasty. Are you feeling better?”  
Eidra could only shake her head as she began to cry, a hand to her mouth, “Where are Brenna and Loki? Are they together?”  
“Maybe we should get you down to the nurses station just to be certain you're okay...,”  
Fury moved Lily out of the way and squatted before Eidra's chair, “We don't know where Brenna is, that's just it. Brenna took off about five days ago without a trace. We thought she might have gone back home but we didn't exactly have a number we could call you at if you get me.”  
“Five days?!” Thor shouted, “And no one has found her yet?”  
Fury stood up, “No and we're doing everything we can to find her. Maybe you should ask your brother where she is.”  
Thor bared his teeth, Mjolnir shaking in his grasp, “Do not insult me with such base sarcasm.”  
Fury ignored Thor, turned again to Eidra, “Listen this is very important. Did you and your husband have any big arguments recently? Anything that would make him up and leave, come get Brenna and just waltz off?”  
“I do not ken...” Eidra felt the dizziness returning.  
Jane patted her hand, “I think he wants to know if you guys weren't getting along.”  
Eidra tried to smile but it came out a grimace, “We have our quarrels as any couple but we are dedicated to one another. He is my heart,” she looked to Thor, “And I his.”  
“Hey I had to ask. So the question here is are these disappearances coincidental or are they connected in some way.”  
“What has been done to find Brenna?” Thor was on edge, starting to pace in the confines of the small office.  
“Stark has been spearheading the media effort to locate her. You can't turn on one wireless device, phone, tablet, desktop computer without seeing Brenna's face. She's made national news, I watched Good Morning America today and they were talking about her. Stark has paid for countless commercial spots, ads in periodicals like People, Newsweek, Time. Newspapers across the country have full page missing posters in them. Hell he's even gotten her face on milk cartons. If she's out there, she's doing a damn good job of hiding and so is your husband.”  
Eidra looked up at Thor who was starting for the door, “I am going to the school to speak with the headmistress there.”  
Fury gestured toward the door, “Be my guest. I don't think you're gonna find out anything more than what we already know.”  
Thor leaned over to Eidra, “We will find them.”  
“Thor, they have both been missing for about the same amount of time.” Fury said, “I got a bad feeling. This is more than a case of missing persons.”  
Thor held his reply though he nodded, put his hand on Eidra's chair, “I will return.”

 

 

Martin descended the stairs to the tarmac at JFK airport, stiff from the long flight. He'd watched out the window as they flew over New York, the morning mist off the Hudson softening the sharp angles and dark hues of the city. He'd seen Stark tower, sunlight glinting off the huge letters like a beacon. That was his destination. To hell with finding a hotel, he'd sleep on a park bench if he had to. He was going to fetch a cab and come what may, he was going to be standing before Mister Stark before the day was done.

He pulled his suitcase from the conveyor belt, then made his way through the vast terminal to a line of yellow taxis waiting outside the main entrance doors, grabbing the door handle of the nearest one.  
“Stark Tower in New York please,” he called to the driver as he sat down with his suitcase between his knees,   
“Hokay,” the driver picked up his two way radio, “JFK to Stark Tower,”  
Martin sat back in the seat, watching the traffic. He patted his jacket, heard the crinkle of the letter in his interior pocket and lay his head back to rest. Soon it would all be over.

Brian came bursting through the library doors, startling Chase and the librarian. He skidded to a halt beside the table Chase was sitting at, his laptop before him.  
“Jesus, Bri, what the hell?”  
Brian held a hand up, gasping, “Hold on dude, havin' a heart attack.” he took a deep breath, “Bren's uncle is here.”  
Chase shoved away from the table, “Thor? Did he say anything about Brenna?”  
“I didn't talk to him, man. I just saw him,” Brian pulled at Chase's arm, “C'mon he's in Miss Munroe's office. I bet they gonna wanna talk to you.”

Chase and Brian stood outside the door to Miss Munroe's office, listening to the voices within though they were faint.   
“Damn, wish he'd speak up. You'd think a guy like that have a big mouth.” Brian whispered.  
Chase nodded, “You'd think. Hush up. I'm trying to hear them.”

“Both of them are missing?” Ororo had come around from behind her desk to stand before Thor, “Do you think they're together?”  
Thor stared down at the floor, “We do not know. I wished to speak with you for that exact reason. We hoped you would have information that would be helpful in finding them.'  
“I didn't know about her father's disappearance so I know even less than you..”

Chase turned to Brian, mouth open.  
“They both gone?” Brian squeaked before Chase covered his mouth with his hand and hissed,  
“Geez, you're gonna get us busted, be quiet.” 

 

“They have both been missing roughly the same amount of time. It stands to reason their disappearances may be connected.”  
Ororo picked up her phone, “Excuse me, I want Logan and Kurt in on this. Do you mind?”  
Thor nodded at her, “Be my guest, if they have anything to offer, I wish to hear it.”

Brian yanked at Chase's sleeve, “Let's duck into the Staff lounge next door. I don't want Logan catching us creeping. Maybe we be able to hear them better in there.”  
Chase cracked open the lounge door and peeked in, “Come on, it's empty.”  
They slipped inside, leaning their ears against the wall bordering Miss Munroe's office, waiting.

 

Martin paid the taxi driver, thanked him and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He craned his neck upward but the words STARK were indistinguishable against the side of the building. Once more on habit, he touched his jacket where the letter sat safe and pushed through the revolving door before him.

The lobby was spartan. There were four plush gray chairs surrounding an immense round black granite table off to his left. In the middle of the table sat a crystal vase filled with white lilies. Beyond the waiting area, across the expanse of polished gray marble flooring, sat the receptionist's desk. It looked to be made of the same black granite as the table. Behind it sat a beautiful blond woman, dressed in a smart blue suit dress. The spare decorating, the muted colors, he was sure were deliberate if only to draw attention to the five foot letters spelling “STARK INDUSTRIES” in red neon on the wall behind the woman.  
He removed his fedora, holding it in his hand as he approached the desk. The woman looked up at him with a smile, “May I help you?”  
“I believe you may.” Martin fidgeted with the brim of his hat, “I need to speak with Mister Stark.”  
“Your name, please?”  
Martin cleared his throat, trying his best to sound as if he knew what he was about, “Professor Martin Rutledge.”  
The blond looked down at the tablet before her, ran her finger down it and tapped, “Do you have an appointment? I have nothing listed for today.”  
“Ah no, I haven't but I've flown a long way to see him.”  
The woman smiled wide, “I'm sorry but I'm afraid you'll have to make an appointment to see him. He has strict rules, no unannounced visitors.” She returned her attention to the tablet for a moment and then produced a business card which she handed to Martin.  
“If you'll call the number on the back and state your reason for the meeting, we'll be happy to set you up but I must warn you, Mister Stark is very busy at this time. You may not get an appointment to see him for at least a month.”  
In the polished marble reflection of the desk, he could see the red neon letters glaring back up at him. He stuck the card in his suit jacket and leaned over onto the desk, his hands on either side of hers. “It's imperative that I speak with him.”  
She sat back in her seat, dropping her hands into her lap where he was certain there would be a panic button for nutjobs the likes of him.   
“I'm sorry sir. I have my orders.”  
He had no idea whom he could trust. Unfortunately she was going to force his hand.  
“If you are able to call him, I suggest you do so. I'm here about the missing girl.”  
Her face relaxed as she sat forward again, “You and everyone else. You do know about the large reward Mister Stark is offering, don't you?”  
“Yes, it means nothing to me.”  
The woman tapped her finger on the tablet, “Sir, unless you have hard evidence, I would suggest you vacate the premises before I'm forced to call security.”  
Martin reached into the interior pocket of his jacket and produced the letter, which he waved before her face, “Indeed I do.”  
She made to reach for it but he held it to his chest, “Ah...I will relinquish it to Mister Stark alone. I'm sure you understand...”  
The woman paused, then tapped the tablet, “Security?”  
Martin took his gold spectacles from his head and wiped his brow with his free hand, “Listen, please could you at least ring Mister Stark? Tell him I have a letter addressed to Brenna's mother.”  
Two overlarge men in blue security uniforms seemed to appear out of nowhere to flank him.  
The receptionist sighed as she glanced at the guards, then, “Where did you say you traveled from?”  
“I didn't. I've just arrived from England,” The security guards grew closer, “Please?”  
The woman tapped the tablet, “Mister Stark?”  
“Yes?” The voice filled the reception area, “What is it?”  
“There's a gentleman here to see you. He says he came all the way from England.”  
“I don't recall having any appointments this morning, sorry, tell him to make an appointment.”  
The receptionist rolled her eyes, “I did that, sir. He says he knows where the missing girl is.”  
There was a pause, “Sure he does, tell him to make an..”  
Martin had finally had enough mincing.   
“I have a letter addressed to Brenna's mother!” he shouted, “Her name is Eidra!”  
He heard a smooth voice in the background though he couldn't make out the words then Mister Stark spoke again.  
“And your name is?”  
“Martin Rutledge.”  
Another short silence as everyone waited, “Shelby, will you send Mister Rutledge up to the penthouse with an escort please?”

 

The elevator doors slid open and Martin stepped out into a large glass walled room with sweeping views of Manhattan. A beautiful woman with honey blond hair who reminded him painfully of Anna, stepped up to him with a smile. She was dressed plainly in a T-shirt and jeans.   
“Pardon my lack of decorum, we weren't expecting anyone today, I'm Miss Potts, Mister Stark's personal assistant. Won't you come in and have a seat?”  
She gestured to a long leather couch beside a massive stone fireplace and as he stepped down into the sitting area, he heard Miss Potts dismiss the guard, “Thank you Toby, we'll be fine here.”  
As the elevator doors slid shut behind the guard, a man appeared beside Miss Potts, walked to the edge of the sitting area and stood there. Martin recognized him at once as Mister Stark.   
“You say your name is Martin Rutledge. You know what that means to me? Squat. What does matter is the answer to the sixty-four thousand dollar question. How do you know Brenna's mother's name? Do you have a child at the school?”  
“What school? Oh, you mean the mutant academy? Oh my no, you see I have a vested interest in helping you find Brenna.”  
Tony stepped down into the sitting area, “By vested you mean money?”  
Martin shook his head, willing the tears to hold their place, “No, I mean the life of someone I hold dear.”  
He took the letter from his pocket and handed it with a bit of hesitation to Mister Stark who unfolded it and began to read as Martin talked.  
“You see, David is a very persuasive man with important connections. He took my Anna, kidnapped her.”  
“Who?” Pepper joined them, sitting beside Martin on the couch  
“My companion. She's all I have. It's just her and I at home. He took her because he knew where I was truly from.”  
Stark's eyes flitted to him, “England?”  
Martin smiled, “Much further than that. Alfheim,”  
Stark peered over the edge of the letter, “As in....one of the nine realms Alfheim?”  
“Exactly,” Martin rubbed his hands together, “David forced me to travel to Asgard. He told me to deliver the letter to Brenna's mother so she would come here to Earth therefore drawing Brenna away from the school.”  
“And who is David?” Pepper looked up at Stark.  
“David Wells. How he even knew who Brenna was is beyond me,” Martin shrugged.  
“His son's name is Chase.” Stark mumbled, “Chase is a student at the school and is seeing Brenna. The question is what endeavor is David talking about?”  
Martin frowned, put his hand up, “David said something about finally finding a cure for mental illness. What has that to do with the girl?”  
Stark folded the letter but didn't return it to Martin, “Brenna possesses special healing abilities. I think David believes he could use them to his advantage. Jarvis, I want a car in five.”  
The room resounded with a disembodied voice, “Yes sir.”  
Stark gestured for Martin to stand up and follow him, “Continue your story. Pepper I want you to ride with Mister Rutledge here to the office. I'll tell Fury we're on our way.”  
“Well,” Martin began again, “I had no choice. I did as I was told. Only when I found where Eidra lived, I didn't encounter her. Instead, I was met by Loki.”  
Stark stopped on his way to the balcony door, “So you're saying Loki got the letter instead?”  
“Yes, and he said he was coming here to get Brenna. I can only surmise the worst if she is still missing.”  
“Mystery solved,” Tony muttered as he opened the glass doors the strong winds whipping his jacket about his waist, “I'll meet you there.”  
Martin watched in awe as the suit grew around the man, red, gold, silver glinting in the sunlight.  
“Ironman.” Martin gasped, “As I live and breathe.”  
“Come this way, Mister Rutledge,”   
He felt Miss Pott's hand on his elbow as he followed her into the elevator, terrified and at the same time almost giddy, light. His deed had been a heavy weight on his heart and now he was setting things right. He grinned at Miss Potts as the elevator door closed before them.

 

Brenna and her father had been talking when the TV went blank yet again and she screeched in frustration.   
“Damn you!” She slammed the top of the TV with her palm, heard footsteps in the corridor and her anger began to boil over as the door swung open and David walked in with a nervous looking young man, skinny, shivering in blue hospital scrubs. David had his arm around the boy's shoulders.  
“This is one of our young autistic patients. He's been with us about two years. His name is Cory,” David closed the door behind him, “Cory is your next attempt.”  
Brenna crossed her arms, “I refuse to pander to you until you turn on the TV again.”  
David guided Cory to one of the chairs at the table, bent down beside the TV and pulled the plug from the wall as Brenna gasped, rushing at him.   
“You'll do as you're asked or you won't see your father at all.”  
He caught her wrists, surprised at her strength when it took all he had to shove her back to sit on the bed.   
“You cannot.....I must....talk to him....!”  
“And I must help this young man to realize a life with a future that doesn't involve living in a psychiatric ward...,” David slapped his hand down on the table before Cory who had started to rock back and forth.  
Brenna glanced at the unplugged tv then to David, “I cannot heal what was never broken. I tried with the last man, I swear to you. If you would let us go, I would never reveal what you have done here.”  
David bent over her until they were nearly nose to nose, “Because there's nothing to reveal....is there. I'm beginning to think Chase was feeding me a line of bullshit about you.”  
“Chase has ever always spoken the truth! My heart breaks for he does not know what a monster his father is!”  
David took her by the arm and pulled her forward, “Neither do you..”  
The young boy had started to cry. She felt sorry for him but at this moment, she couldn't stop. Being cooped up here in this room alone, talking to her father when David willed it. Watching him grow sick and weak from the treatment he was receiving. She'd had enough.  
“How sick, how cruel can you be? When we are found, you will suffer for what you have done!”  
David's face turned crimson as he shoved her back to the bed, turned and lifted the young boy by the arm, receiving a yelp for his effort, opened the door and shoved him out into the corridor where Leroy stood. He then strode to the TV.  
“This is a privilege to be earned I think,” David muttered as he wheeled the set out of the room on its cart, the plug dragging along behind him.   
“NOOO! Please do not do this, I will try, I promise! I need to speak to him. I NEED TO SPEAK TO MY PAPA!!” She reached the door as it as it slid shut, banging on it with her fists, her muffled screams echoing down the corridor.

 

David strode up the corridor with Cory before him, Leroy pushing the TV. “It's only gonna make her angrier.”  
“Good,” David spat, “She can wail and gnash her teeth all she wishes. I've got to make some phone calls. I want extra guards on. Get Leon back here.”  
“Mister Wells, we had a deal. My brother stays out of it.” Leroy stopped wheeling the TV, stood up.  
“Your brother is a tough guard and we need more of them. Leave him at his normal post out by the waiting area if you're worried.”  
“I don't like it.”  
David turned to him, “I don't care what you like. I'm paying you twice what you would make in a year. You don't have to like it, you just have to do what I say.”  
David opened the door at the end of the corridor for Leroy to roll the TV out, “Make the calls.”  
“Yes sir.”

In her room, Brenna sat on the floor in the space where the TV had been, trying to slow her breathing down, trying not to panic as she wrapped her arms about herself, started to rock gently. Cut off from him completely, she could only wonder now.  
“Papa, where are you?”


	74. 74

74.

Martin followed Miss Potts past a small nondescript desk with a tall guard sitting behind it. The guard nodded and hit a button, unlocking a door beside him.  
“Might I inquire as to our whereabouts?” Martin asked as he followed her through the door and into a brightly lit hallway.   
“You may inquire.”  
Martin raised an eyebrow, “Indeed.”  
She had a wide stride and Martin found he had to trot to keep up with her. At the far end of the hallway they stepped into yet another elevator.  
“Top secret?”  
“Something like that, Mister Rutledge.”  
Martin fell quiet, gazing at his shoes.  
“This woman, Anna. She's also being held by Mister Wells?”  
“So he claims,” Martin closed his eyes, “I don't know what I would do were something to happened to her. I could never forgive myself. I should have brought the bloody letter to the authorities as soon as I returned to Earth.”  
She patted his arm, “I'm sure we'll find them, Anna too.”  
The door slid open and Martin took a step backwards as he met the hard steel glare of a man wearing a black patch over one eye.  
“Miss Potts? We've been waiting for you.”

Martin followed them into a large conference room dominated by a long table with high backed chairs all around the perimeter. On one side of the room sat a blond woman in a suit holding the hand of an ethereally lovely and very pregnant brunette beside her. Directly opposite them sat Mister Stark, hands templed at his stomach.  
“Mister Rutledge, please take a seat,” The man with the eyepatch gestured to a chair, “My name is Nick Fury. Stark tells us you know where Brenna and Loki are. Is this true?”  
“Martin? Martin Rutledge?” Eidra whispered, “Odin's beard, it is you?”  
Martin put a hand to his chest and bowed as best he could, “At your service, Milady, and yes, I know who has them. As to their whereabouts, I can only surmise.”  
“You were the one who helped restore me? Loki told me of you,” Eidra put her hand to her mouth.  
Martin nodded.  
Fury held up the letter, “Mister Wells is the director of Forest Hills psychiatric hospital outside of the village of Tarrytown. He also has a mansion at the address noted here in the letter. Now you're telling me you handed this letter to Loki personally?”  
Martin nodded, “I did.”  
“You'll excuse me if I don't readily believe you.”  
Martin looked about the room, noticed the brunette seemed about to jump out of her chair at him.  
“Whyever not?”  
Fury gave a grim smile, “Because Loki isn't a man to threaten. He's got a real bad temper. If you handed him this letter, you'd probably be dead by now.”  
Martin put his head in his hands, “I didn't threaten him. Quite the contrary. At first I was certain he would choke the life from me until I told him I had been forced to deliver the letter because Mister Wells had my housekeeper.”  
Fury stared at him, “So you travel all the way to Asgard, which, by the way, is another issue, deliver a letter stating Loki's daughter is in trouble because this David Wells kidnapped your maid?”  
Martin slammed his hand on the table, “She's more than my maid, damnit! She is my....my lover.”   
“Huh,” Stark grunted, nodding at Eidra, “Must be the thing where you guys come from.”  
“So,” Fury tapped the letter on the table, “If you delivered this letter to him, why do you now have it?”  
Martin held his hand out, “Open the blasted thing and read it! I had to transcribe it into Asgardian. Loki has that letter. This is the original I received from David.”  
Fury took the letter from its envelope, scanned it.  
“Eidra, the letter was meant for you,” Fury handed it to her. She took it with a shaky hand and frowned.  
“I cannot read Midgardian.”  
“After you handed Loki the letter, what happened?” Fury turned back to Martin.  
“Of course he was beside himself. He used the Uruz to open a portal here to Earth,” Martin clasped his hands before his chest and looked at Eidra, “...and I beg your forgiveness a thousand times over. I meant no harm, I only wanted Anna back. I was out of options. When I spied the international search for Brenna on the telly, my duty became quite clear..” He glanced down the table, “I came here to find you, Mister Stark. You were the only person I could think of who could help me.”  
Stark sat forward, “Well you weren't far wrong, where's ol' Thunder and Lightning?”  
“He's at the school right now,” Fury stood from the table, “We'll call him in. We're going to need two teams. One at Wells' residence and one at the hospital. Remember there are innocent people at that hospital so let's keep the chaos to a minimum.”  
“Sir, I'd like to volunteer for the mission,” The blond woman was now standing as well.  
“Very well,” Fury looked to Stark, “The both of you, come with me. Miss Potts will you see that our guests are comfortable?”  
Pepper nodded as Stark winked at her, turning then to Eidra.  
“Just another day on the job, don't worry. We'll bring them back.”

 

Chase and Brian were back in the hallway, having been shooed out by one of the teachers who'd caught them sitting with their backs to the wall. He'd threatened to turn them in to Miss Munroe and so were reduced to waiting down the hall.  
When the door to Miss Munroe's office opened, Brian and Chase scrambled around the corner.

“I will return to New York. We will contact you with any further developments.”   
Kurt was shaking his head, “We will be ready.”  
“Please don't exclude us.” Ororo added, “We feel responsible for this.”  
Thor frowned, “You need not feel so. There are some things that are simply beyond our control.”  
A beep and a hum interrupted them as Ororo took her cell from the pocket of her slacks, “Xavier's school, Miss Munroe speaking...” As she listened, her eyes widened, “What? When?  
Thor looked to Kurt then to Logan who shrugged, mouthed to Ororo, “Who is it?” but she kept talking.  
“Chase? He's here in school........oh my god!...........”  
Logan rolled his eyes, “Ororo, come on, who the hell are you talking to?”  
Ororo covered the mouthpiece, her voice dropped to a whisper, “Fury,”  
They watched Ororo as she leaned back against the wall beside her office door, “Yes, he's still here....”  
She held out the phone to Thor, “He wants to talk to you.”  
Thor took the phone as Logan poked Ororo, “Okay give, what's going on?”  
Ororo moved them away from Thor who was now tense, growling into the phone.  
“They believe they know where Brenna and Loki are, or at least where they might be. It seems Chase's father is the responsible party.”  
“Responsible for what?” Kurt asked, his tail whipping back and forth in agitation.  
“Brenna's disappearance.”

 

Brian followed Chase down the hallway at a trot, “Dude, wait up! Hold on!”  
Chase stopped, panting, “They gotta be wrong. Someone is setting him up!”  
Brian kept an eye on the hall behind them, “Why don't you turn round and ask them what's going on?”  
“No!” Chase grabbed Brian by the arm, “I'll pay for the gas.” He looked at his cell phone, “It's one in the afternoon now. My father should be at the hospital. You gotta bring me there, please!”  
Brian winced, “Ah man. What if they're right? We gonna be in the middle of a great big fuckarow.”  
Chase glared at Brian, his hands curling into fists, “Are you goddamn shitting me? You think he's guilty? What the fuck. I thought you were my friend!”  
Brian took Chase by the shoulders, “I never said I thought anything. I'm only sayin' you gotta consider the possibility. You heard Miss Munroe. They believe, they suspect...I'm just telling ya, be ready for anything.”  
Chase nodded, rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand, “I know....damn. I know, you're right but I gotta see for myself. Just please take me to the hospital Brian, I'll never ask you for anything ever again, please?”  
“Shit, being your best friend is hazardous to my health.”

Thor handed the phone to Ororo. “I suggest you find Chase and keep him close by.”   
“Hey,” Logan said as Thor turned to leave, “I want in.”  
“Ja, we are ready.”  
“I will inform Fury,”Thor nodded, “We do not know what we are going to encounter.”

 

David put a hand to his mouth as he set the phone down on his desk. The extra guards had been a good call.   
“We've already afforded you assistance in achieving your goal, David,” Eric had told him, “I said it was up to you to maintain control afterward.”  
David had begged him to send a couple people from his group just for extra protection but Eric chuckled, speaking to someone in the room with him.  
“Garrett, are you willing to return to Mister Wells employ?” David had heard the person utter a few choice words, “Ah see? There isn't much in it for him. Azazel is away on another...mission for me and I am unwilling to ask the others. I'm afraid, as much as I want to help you, for Annie's sake of course, I've done all I can. The metal shielding alone was worth a fortune.”  
David sneered at the phone. More than likely, Annie had told Eric to let David crash and burn.  
Then there was Brenna. She'd been defiant, angry. He'd taken the TV away to teach her a lesson but time was running out. How long could he keep them here before someone slipped up?  
Maybe he should return Anna to Martin on the promise he keep his mouth shut.  
There was a knock on his office door and he looked up, “Come in.”  
It was Leroy, “Doc, I need to talk to you.”  
“Have a seat.”  
Leroy sat on the edge of the chair before David's desk, “I brought in Leon and four more guards for the corridor. Brenna has started to scream and pound on her door. I think she's trying to make herself heard. We should move her. Leon was asking me what was going on. I gave him a bullshit story but I don't think he's buying completely into it. And Loki? For a god, he seems pretty human.”  
David sat back in his chair, “What do you mean?”  
Leroy rubbed the back of his neck, “Well he's real sick. He won't even drink water. I mean even if he is what he says, a body can only take so much.”  
David stood up and looked out the window behind the desk at the hospital parking lot far below. He also had been watching Loki.   
“I want you to move Brenna to one of the containment cells. She's had it far too easy. I'll be talking to the god myself.”

Brenna heard the door click and opened her eyes to see Leroy, “Stand up, let's go.”  
Brenna remained sitting on the bed, “Where are you taking me?”  
“I'm taking you to where you'll be in a minute, now get up.” Leroy reached for her but she held up her hands,   
“I can unheal things, people. Did David tell you? I am sure there are places on your body you'd rather weren't broken again.”  
Leroy grinned, pulled a short box with two prongs from his front shirt pocket, “This is a Taser. Before you could lay a finger on me, I could drop you like a hot rock with fifty thousand volts. Now if you're not sure what a volt is, come at me.”  
Brenna stared at the weapon. When he hit the button on the side and it crackled to life, she shrieked, backing up to the wall at the other side of the bed.  
“Now stand up and come with me.”  
Slowly Brenna stood and walked out into the hallway.  
“To the left,” Leroy pushed at her back, passing door after door until Leroy said, “Stop.”  
Leroy ran his I.D card across a panel beside the door. When it slid open, Brenna dropped to her knees. She had been dreaming of this place all along. The different rooms, the people. She peered into the dim interior with the lit vent overhead, the scene etched in her memory with terrifying clarity.   
“Please take me back to my room! Please!” She cried, scrambling backwards as he reached down for her, “Do not make me go in there!”  
Leroy hauled her to her feet, the Taser still in his other hand, “I'll knock you on your ass and toss you in there if I gotta. Orders are orders.”  
“NO!” She planted her hands on either side of the door but Leroy's bulk was too great. With a shove of his shoulder, her arms gave way and she sprawled onto her hands and knees on the hard floor. She leaped to her feet just in time to see the door shut, then dropped down to the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed to her nightmare.

Loki lay on the cot listening to the rattle coming from his chest with each breath. The ague had gripped him, draining him of all energy as he suffered alternately with chills and burning fever. Leroy had brought the food tray and put it beside his cot but all he could do was look at it. He doubted he could even keep the food down had he the strength to eat it.   
He knew the lung fever was upon him. He'd seen many of the old ones and some of the young succumb to it during Asgard's harsh winters. He coughed, a thick watery sound from somewhere deep in his throat, pulled the blanket tight over him as another chill hit. His shivering fair shook the cot and he lay there for a long time in such a state until he felt the warmth start to spread again. He threw the blanket off him, feeling the aches throughout his body. Finally the fever sent him into a light doze where he drifted into fitful dreams....

...of being back home with Eidra. She was standing behind him, watching him tan the hide of a deer. He had lashed it to a frame and was scraping the hair off.  
“New booties for the babies,” Eidra teased him.  
“Eidra shall you use the entire skin for booties, or might I have a small corner to use for my own?”  
He received no response. Turning around to look at her, he found she was gone. He put down the scraper and headed for the barn door.   
As he stepped outside into the sunshine, he sensed something wasn't right. He was standing in his fields in Rialo. In the distance, he could see Eidra walking behind the plow, Lightning's reins in her hands. He started running towards her but the harder he ran, the further away she seemed to be. It felt like forever but reach her he finally did.   
“Eidra what are you doing? Give me the reins.” Loki reached for her hands and was so horrified to see his own pass through, he backpedaled as she passed by.  
He trotted to keep up with her, now shouting her name, “Eidra!” until he was even with her, catching a good look at her face then.  
Gray streaks lined her brunette hair, her face, aged though it was, still beautiful, lending her a handsome dignity.  
“My heart,” he whispered.  
She stopped, pulled up the hem of her skirt to wipe the sweat from her brow as she squinted up at the sun, put her hand to her throat and drew the Uruz from within her bodice, holding it, closing her eyes as she pressed it to her lips.  
Loki turned, stumbled to the dirt, rose and started to run from the scene, panic constricting his chest, making it hard to breathe....

….He flailed at the covers, seized in another fit of coughing as he rose to his elbows, terror from the dream following him into consciousness. He forced himself to sit up, swung his legs over the floor. He needed the sound of a friendly voice to drive the specter of his nightmare from him.  
“Brenna?”  
No answer.   
He hadn't heard from her in so long. He knew David needed her more than he needed him. Still he was starting to panic. Maybe he was keeping her deliberately from him so she would feel alone, acquiesce to his wishes.  
He was beginning to lose hope. He lay back down to wait, for it was all he had the strength to do.


	75. 75

David opened the door to Loki's room. Stepping inside, he walked to the cot, nudged it once, twice with his knee before Loki opened his eyes.  
“You're looking a bit out of sorts.”  
Loki closed his eyes. David kicked the cot, harder now.  
“I think if I let Brenna see you now, she might change her mind about helping me. What if I promised to get you medical treatment?”  
He kept his eyes closed, “Why did you take her from me?”  
“To teach her a lesson. People must be trained just as animals. Conditioned to respond to stimuli. Pavlov did it with dogs. He trained them to salivate at the sound of a bell because they associated the bell with food. I want to train your daughter to perform as a way to preserve your safety.”  
Loki chuckled thickly spasming as he began to cough.  
“I don't see the humor in this,” David bowed low over him.  
Loki took a deep breath, “Do you not?”   
He gathered what strength he had left, pushing himself up from the cot to stand face to face with David, the effort making his heart race, “She cannot do what you want her to do because it is beyond her ability.”  
“I don't believe you,” David snarled.  
Loki grinned wide, “Then why are we still playing this game? Why have you not announced to the world you have discovered a glorious cure for insanity?”  
“Your daughter is the one playing the game!” David shouted, shoving Loki back to the cot,“I think she lacks the proper motivation!” He spun on his heels, rage making his hands tremble as he passed the card before the panel beside the door and strode out into the corridor.  
Loki watched the door slide shut and put his hands to his face, the last of his strength sapped, too exhausted to scream.

As David stepped off the elevator he nearly floored Doctor Egan who was standing there on the other side of the doors.  
“There you are!”  
David felt his calm facade start to crack as he yelled, “Yes, here I am!” maneuvering around him as he headed for the sanctuary of his office, “It's after five, why are you still here?”  
“To talk to you.”  
“I don't have time,” David muttered as he strode past Julia sitting at her desk, Egan following close behind.  
“You'd better make time if you want to keep your position.”  
David was ready to tell Egan he could shove his position up his ass but he was determined to carry out what he'd meant to do from the start with Brenna so he steeled himself and turned around.  
“Very well Robert, I'm all ears.”  
Egan crossed his arms, “Well that's a first. Inside your office if you please. This is a private matter, sorry Julia.”  
Julia smiled and nodded as they closed the door behind him unable to hear her mumble, “Up yours.”

 

“And you were two weeks late with the proposal as well!” Egan leaned over David's desk, “Combined with the numerous consultations you failed to attend, the evaluations you've missed with personnel. The procedure changes you've yet to review, I've recommended to the board that you be temporarily suspended from your position.”  
Egan dropped into the chair behind him, “David you used to be on the ball all the time. You were a stellar director but after the accident with that patient, you....” Egan clapped his hands together, “You stopped caring. Maybe you just need some time off, you know, to deal with what happened....”  
“When is it effective?” David was gripping the arms of his chair so hard, he'd begun to tremble.  
“What?”  
“When is my suspension effective?”  
Egan looked down at the carpet between his feet, “You have the weekend to respond to the suspension or accept it,” he sat forward, “You're expected to appear before the board on Monday at nine a.m for the official order.”  
Egan stood from his chair, “I'm sorry David. You'll get back on track, I'm sure of it. We're going to take the special projects section away so you won't have to deal with it anymore. Then you can focus on the more important matters in Forest Hill.”  
Before Egan walked out the door, he extended his hand to David, “Good luck, Dave, and I mean it.”  
When David sat unmoving, Egan withdrew his hand, “I've gotta get going home, I'll be late for supper. I'll talk to you Monday.”

 

For a long time David couldn't move, his mind raging, racing. Even when Julia poked her head in to say she was leaving for the day, he could only nod.  
Finally he sat forward, pulled out the bottom drawer of his desk. He supposed he'd known all along what it was going to take. He stood up, slipping the metal cord cuffs in the pocket of his pants, Loki's dagger in the interior of his jacket pocket and walked from his office. When he was finished, he would return to clean out his desk. 

Loki had crawled to the floor, gotten onto his knees and rocked back unsteadily to his heels. The fever had begun to visit delirium upon him. At one point he'd heard Chris's voice telling him to rise. He'd opened his eyes to see Chris standing by the bedside holding out his hand and he'd half laughed before his tone had sobered and he'd said in a weary voice, “I am sorry my friend. My path must be different.”  
He'd closed his eyes, opening them to an empty room.   
Now he wished again to center himself but found his thoughts straying to things of utmost importance. The safety of Brenna, Eidra and the new babies that would arrive before harvest, his brother and the weight he must bear in ruling Asgard. Thor had been right, he realized with a happy heart, the throne would not have suited him. It would have robbed him of his very happiness, his family.  
The door clicked and slid open. Still Loki kept his eyes shut until David pushed him with the toe of his shoe. “Stand up.”  
Loki put his palms on his knees. If only he could have a drink of water. Perhaps it would clear his mind. “I doubt I could stand without help.”  
David knelt down behind him, taking out the metal cord cuffs, “Put your hands behind your back.”  
“Why?”   
He felt David draw first one hand, then the other behind him, metal circles bind his wrists.  
“One more gift from my friends. The strongest metal known to humans. I'm sure it will hold you.”  
“...think me human?” Loki moaned as David stood and pulled him to a stand. He stumbled forward before David caught him.   
“This is only a precaution.”  
“Where..... are you taking me?”  
David steered him towards the door, “Where you want to be. I'm taking you to see Brenna.”  
They stepped out into the corridor where Loki expected to see Leroy waiting for them, however, the corridor was empty. As they turned left and started to walk, Loki flexed his arms outward ever so slightly, feeling the metal cord give and he smiled. Even in his wretched state, it would be easy to break free.   
As they neared the end of the corridor, David pulled him to a halt and turned him to his left before a metal door.

Brenna had heard voices moments ago and now there were footsteps approaching her door. She stood up, her heart hammering in her chest, willing the footsteps to continue but they stopped.

Loki stared at the door for fully thirty seconds before he burst out laughing. All this time they had been yards apart. They had been in the same building. Loki felt his adrenaline start to flow. As soon as he laid eyes on Brenna, he was going to break the metal cord from his wrists, turn and rip David's head from his shoulders. He would beg Brenna's forgiveness later.  
“Have you seen your daughter perform these miracles my son told me about?”  
Loki shook his head, he was starting to feel dizzy, “No, I confess I have not...” he sneered, “But then neither have you.”  
“Are you a praying man?” David growled in his ear.  
“Our prayers are not meant for your God.”  
David chuckled, “I suppose you pray to yourself, then?”  
Loki shook his head, stared hard at the door, willing it to open.  
“Well you might want to start praying to whatever gods you believe in that your daughter wasn't lying.”  
Loki heard a flutter of movement, tensed, ready to break the metal cuffs to pieces...and felt the blade plunge into his right side, skitter between his ribs with a jerk, withdrawing to strike again. The excruciating pain making him slump back against David like a lover, his mouth open, legs unhinged, hearing a shrill beep as the door slid open...

…....and David shoved her father forward into the room where he dropped to his knees, toppling over to his side as Brenna backed away from him, too terrified even to scream.   
“Now this is proper motivation. You'd better hurry.”  
David wiped the blade of the dagger on his jacket and slipped it back into the pocket as the door slid closed seconds before Brenna slammed into it.  
“Wait, please, wait!” she screamed, “Let us out!”  
The sound of choking, gurgling spun her around to stare in horror at the bloom of red blood growing swiftly at the side of her father's green hospital scrubs.  
“Papa.....oh no, NO!”  
Brenna dropped to her knees beside her father, repeating the words like a mantra as if saying them would be enough to stop what was happening before her.   
“No, NO! No!...” She lifted the tunic to expose the two horizontal stab wounds nestled neatly between his ribcage, pressed her hands over them, feeling the blood pumping in hot, rhythmic gushes between her fingers. She could hear an odd whistling sound as she closed her eyes, tried to concentrate, to focus, trying to see the damage as she began to sob. So many torn blood vessels, an aorta, the lung, the torn tissue...a universe away from a broken pencil, a cracked tooth.....   
“Papa, please hold on,” she wailed, looked up at his face, mouth open, blood trickling from the corner into a small pool at his cheek, the hitching intake of air as he struggled for breath. She closed her eyes, seeing the nightmare in her mind's eye.

He heard her crying, wanted to hold her and tell her it would be alright. It was so hard to breath. Eidra would be alone now. He yearned to tell her he loved her, that he always had. Pain shot outward, bright in his chest curving him backwards in agony as he worked at the metal cuffs. All he wished was to comfort his firstborn, his brave Brenna. He could hear her calling him Papa, even then a sweet sound. His heart started an odd staccato in his chest and all at once he felt fear. What was truly waiting for him? Valhalla? Hel? He fervently wished he'd taken Chris's hand when he'd had the chance. Another spasm gripped him as he listened to her scream...and then there was only the struggle for air, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in.......

 

She felt it, like the hawk so many lifetimes ago. The ebb of life, felt him shudder beneath her hands as she tried to stay upright. There was so much blood, no time to repair the injuries. She sobbed as she looked at his face, his sightless eyes.  
“PAPA NO! PLEASE STAY!”   
She could see nothing, as if a door had closed. She could no longer see his injuries, the damage done by the blade, the images fading behind her eyes like the afterimage of the sun when glimpsed on a brilliant summer day. The blood had ceased to push between her fingers. She leaned forward over him, overcome with the grief tearing her world apart.  
“I am so sorry. Forgive me, Papa!” and she let the rage start to build in her, the hatred, the anger, coming together in one powerful surge as she roared to the ceiling rocking his body back and forth beneath her hands..   
All at once, she felt as if she was on fire, lit from within with a light as intense as a thousand suns. The sensation was agonizing, like nothing she'd felt before. The searing ebb of life she'd felt moments before seemed to reverse its course, flowing back through her hands with the speed of a thought. Pain radiated down her arms as if hooks were being pulled through her muscles, sinew, the very marrow of her bones. Somewhere in her mind was a voice telling her, stop resisting, let it go. She felt her mind sliding forward, past the damage, fusing with his body, with his mind, certain somehow that to break contact with him would be devastating.  
She began to see scenes in her mind, running like old movies, first slowly, she could see a small newborn baby lying still in someones arms, her mother below her lying on straw and linen, crying...her uncle yelling at her from far away, the roar of a waterfall as she peered into the depths of a deep lake.... her mother kneeling before a great fireplace, leaning in for a kiss and suddenly she realized she was seeing his memories. More scenes began to fly at her. Her mother holding her, rocking her, Helgi sitting her down on a cold marble floor, a leather ball placed into her hands, the images started to flicker faster. Her Uncle Chris holding up a hare, the back of her mother's neck as she turned and smiled, Asgard laid out before her sparking in the night, the cruel upturn of Queen Sif's mouth, a set of dice, her mother walking naked into a pool on a summer day. She felt the blood begin to flow again beneath her fingers, then diminish until it was a trickle, droplets, watching in wonder as the images began to combine until they were completely overtaken by the knitting together of tissue, cells, atoms. There was no hesitation, each wound healing, every vessel, aorta, sealing together to take up its normal function once again and without warning, she felt him take a breath....

 

It was heading toward sunset. Adam busied himself wiping down the crystal in the china cabinet. He detested idleness and until his employer returned home for the day, he was stuck making work for himself.   
The smartphone in the pocket of his slacks began to beep.  
“A bit early today,” Adam muttered as he withdrew the phone and tapped the screen. What he saw on the video feed streaming across the screen started him running towards the basement stairs as he dialed the phone in his hand.

 

David looked at the number on the screen, “Adam?”  
“Sir, we have company at the mansion.”  
It sounded as though Adam was out of breath.  
David stopped dropping papers into the box on his couch, “What do you mean?”  
“Black vans.....shit!”  
“What?”  
No answer at first, just panting, then, “They've broken the front door in. Sir, I think they're looking for...”  
David hung up the phone and picked up the two way radio, “Leroy I want you upstairs in two minutes.”

Leroy looked at the box on the couch as he trotted inside the office. “What's up?”  
David reached into the box and pulled out a revolver, making Leroy jump back, “What the hell?”  
“We have to leave. Adam called. There are agents at my house, it's only a matter of time before they figure out I'm not there.”  
He handed the revolver to Leroy, “I want you to take care of the two loose ends in special projects.”  
“You're kidding right? Murder them? Loki and Brenna?”  
“I've taken care of Loki. I mean Anna and Brenna. That's what the revolver is for. If you use yours, they'll trace it.”  
Leroy watched him pack more stuff into the box, “And then what, wait for the feds?”  
David took him by the shoulders, “I'm going to pull the Escalade around back at the old service entrance. When you're finished, meet me outside and we're gone.”  
“Gone where, sir?”  
Leroy made to hand him back the gun, “Not unless Leon goes with me. I'm not leaving him behind to deal with the bullshit.”  
David waved his hands, “Whatever, just be ready to run.”  
Leroy took the gun and slipped it into the front of his belt, “For the record sir, after we're far from here, I'm taking my severance pay and resigning.”  
David frowned, “I expected nothing less.”

 

The metal coil rebounded off the wall with a clang, skittering to the floor as Loki sat up, dazed. “Papa....I....”  
He smiled, felt as if he could run to Asgard, “Astrid said the caterpillar could not become a butterfly without transformation.”  
“I do not ken?”   
“I will explain later. Now we must break out of this cell,” he stood, his feet slipping a bit and he grimaced as he leaned down to help Brenna up.  
“Papa, I feel so weak. I do not think I can run.”  
“I will carry you if I must. Can you break this panel?”  
She walked up to the panel beside the door, felt his hand at her back and was transported with joy as she put her hand to the metal.

 

Leroy had advised Leon to stay at the reception area until he called him. He would explain nothing more but to tell him to keep his gun ready.   
Leroy walked past Brenna's room. He would take care of the space case first. It would be easier to put her out of her misery.

Brian and Chase burst through the lobby doors of Forest Hill's reception area to the elevators where Chase punched the call button, ignoring the shouts of the nurse behind the front desk.   
“Maybe we should take the stairs?” Chase nodded at the nurse who was striding toward them, “It's quicker.”  
“Aw dawg, you know stairs ain't my thing.”  
Chase shoved him, “We gotta get to my father. You do what you want, I'm taking the stairs.”  
He ran to the stairwell, Brian shaking his head as he ran after him.

David tossed the box into the back seat of the Escalade, jumped into the driver's seat, put the SUV in gear and headed out of the parking lot.

The snap and twang of metal, the sound of a door sliding open made Leroy turn to stare at the face of the man he'd been expecting to find dead in his daughter's arms running toward him, teeth bared, looking as if he'd appeared straight out of hell. Leroy brought up his gun and fired, saw the bullet hit Loki's left bicep and yet he kept coming, impervious to the wound. Leroy would have...should have had time for another shot but shock stilled his hand at the last fatal moment. Brenna's stunned face as she stood motionless behind Loki was the last thing Leroy saw before Loki's hand reached the side of his head, crushing his skull against the metal wall, his lifeless body bouncing back to drop to the carpeted corridor.

David saw lights coming up the drive, slowing his speed down. Nothing out of place, just going home. He thought sure he was going to make it to the main road until the lights swerved into his path. He banked hard right, skidding the nose of the Escalade around, feeling the bumper clip one of the cars as he hit the pedal to the floor. He would take the service road around the back of the hospital. Through the dust from the road up ahead, he was suddenly aware of a figure standing in the road with something held above his head. He had only seconds to realize who the figure was as something silver caught the glare of his headlights before striking the hood of the SUV and his world turned upside down as the Escalade catapulted end over end across the manicured front lawn. David spied a flutter of red cloth, blond hair before his head hit the ceiling and he blacked out.

Leroy seemed to have been alone. Now they would simply continue through the hallways until they found a way out. As Loki turned towards Brenna to take her hand, she screamed.   
“Don't fucking move!” Leon cried, his arm around Brenna's neck, his revolver drawn and pointing into her side, “Don't even breathe.”  
With the arm about her neck, he pressed the call button of the radio at his shoulder, “Security assistance, code red, special projects.”  
“I would let her go if I were you,” Loki snarled.  
“Papa,” Brenna rasped, “Run.”  
But Loki had started towards Leon. The only way he was leaving this place was with his daughter was at his side. He could hear footsteps in the hall behind the door Leon had come out of.   
“I'm telling you, stop moving man!” Leon cried.  
“My daughter has a special skill,” Loki murmured, “I would suggest you let her go.”  
“Fuck you,” It was then that he saw Leroy's body, his face a bloody caved pulp, “Leroy?”  
With a grimace, Brenna brought her hands up to Leon's arm and he screeched, shoving her away from her as he grabbed his arm in agony, the old re-broken football fracture in his wrist causing him to drop the gun. The door behind him slid open as four guards raced into the hallway.   
“Stand down!”  
Brenna had run to Loki as soon as she was free from Leon and now she stood behind Loki who was crouched down, ready to fight.  
“What the hell?”the guard who'd spoken first peered behind Loki where the door at the opposite end of the hallway had begun to glow bright red,   
As Brenna turned to look behind them, the door blew inward, throwing chunks of metal in all directions. Loki shoved Brenna against the wall, covering her as debris rained about them. The whir of machinery and heavy footsteps filled the corridor.  
“I think I'd drop my weapons if I were you.” Tony's voice came hollow, metallic as the guards put their guns on the carpet and held their hands in the air. Loki looked up to see Stark, his hand palm out, pointed down the corridor at the guards. Behind him, Brenna could see Professor Logan and Professor Wagner dressed in black and she started to cry with relief.  
Tony turned to Loki and though he couldn't see his face behind the red and gold helmet, he could hear the smile in his voice, “There now isn't it more fun to be a good guy?”


	76. 76

76.

They walked out of the hallway through the broken door into the twilight, Stark and the guards following a few feet behind. Some yards distant, a circle of black vans around a black SUV upside down on its back.  
“Hey, Destructo. You need to get that gunshot wound attended to,” Stark called out to him.  
Loki absently touched the bullet hole as Brenna stopped walking, “Oh Papa, I did not realize you were hit. Let me heal you, please!”  
But Loki ignored her, his gaze fixed upon the chaos before them.  
Loki could see Thor standing beside a man with his hammer raised. As they drew closer and he realized who the man was, he began to run.....

Chase and Brian stumbled down the steps in their frantic flight back down the stairs. They had watched from Chase's father's office as Thor had flipped David's Escalade. Along with Ironman alighting on the front lawn of the hospital as staff began to run outside to see what was happening, Chase was certain then that Miss Munroe had told the truth.  
“Damn, it don't look good.” Brian huffed as they burst through the lobby doors into the night and saw someone running across the lawn at the SUV.

Loki heard Brenna call out to him but all he could see was David who was in the process of turning around for the handcuffs an agent had in her hands.  
He shoved the agent out of his way as he struck David with all the force he could muster, slamming him into the side of the overturned SUV, his hands coming up to David's temples.  
“I told you I would see you dead!” Loki roared, teeth bared. He wanted to tear out the man's throat, split his ribcage and take out his heart.   
“Loki NO!” Thor cried.  
The sound of heavy footsteps, that oddly irritating mechanical whirring stopped at his right elbow. In his peripheral vision, he could see the brilliant red sheen of Stark's suit.  
“Come on, remember that little talk we just had back there about good guys? You have to stand down.”  
Loki was shaking with rage, gasping, pressing his fingers into David's flesh, the urge to twist David's skull about on his neck near to erotic.  
“I wanted to help people, I swear,” David began to whimper.  
“You kidnapped my daughter! Lured me here to Midgard and when Brenna was unable to do what you asked, you tortured and tried to kill us!” Loki dug his fingernails into the skin of David's cheeks as the man let out a yelp.  
“Aii! I...I was...afraid...I would....,”  
All at once Loki lifted David's head forward, slamming it against the Escalade, “NO! My daughter was afraid....you were heartless...insane...”  
Kurt had arrived to stand beside Brenna and now had his arm around her shoulders, “Loki, is dis what you want Brenna to see?”  
“He's right,” Stark moved closer, “Let him go,”  
From across the lawn they heard a scream, “NO!”  
Brenna turned to see Chase racing across the grass, skidding to a halt beside Tony, “Don't do it, please!”  
Loki heard Chase though he didn't look at him, “You claim to love my daughter?”  
Chase backed up a step, “Yes, I do, but he's my father. I know what he did was....horrible....”  
“Brother, please.” Thor put his hand on Loki's shoulder, “I promise you he will face justice.”  
“Papa....,”   
He felt Brenna's hand at his back and his grip relaxed ever so slightly.  
“.....listen to them. If you....,” she could hardly imagine him doing so much less say the words outright but she had to make him understand, “...if you kill him, you shall be the one who must face justice. We are not in Asgard. We are in Midgard. Their laws are much different. Please for me, for Mama, let him go.”  
Loki's shoulders slumped, his hands slipped away from David's face as he turned to enfold Brenna in his arms and the agents moved in once again with their handcuffs.  
“You are so very wise, my heart,” Loki murmured, “So very wise.”  
Brenna nodded, unable to hold the smile from her face, “Do not forget such a fact when we are well away from here, now let me fix your arm...”

The agents took David by the shoulder, made to lead him away but he resisted, turning to Chase who had been standing there staring at him.  
“Son, I am so...”  
“No,” Chase withdrew farther as if by distancing himself from the man he could distance himself from his actions, “No, you can't fix this with a word. Dad, you're a sick man, you need help.” Chase felt Brenna's hand on his shoulder, “This is unforgivable.”  
David swallowed hard, nodded and Chase looked away as a tear rolled down David's cheek.

 

 

Loki stroked Brenna's hair as he stared about the interior wall of the van. The lights were almost too bright. so used was he to the dim lights of the cells. Brenna stirred, snuggled closer and sighed. This newfound intimacy was foreign to him though not unpleasant.  
After they had taken David away and the agents began to move through the hospital, Tony had suggested they hop into one of the vans and wait. Brenna had hopped in behind Loki, put her head in his lap and promptly fallen asleep. If anyone were to disturb her, he was certain he would strangle them.   
She had restored him back to life. He had been lost and she had saved him. The connection they shared now was unmistakeable. When he had been about to crush David's skull, he had heard her not only with his ears but with his mind, had heard her think, “If you do this, it will kill Mama.” and it had stopped him.  
He smiled as she grunted, shifted position. He took a deep breath, amazed once again. David had been right though he would never know. Not only had she brought him back, she had cured him of the lung fever. She was special.   
He bit his lip, suddenly worried. She could restore life to the dead, bestow immortality as it were. If ever Midgardians believed in the gods, to them she was a true goddess. He feared David would not be the last man attempting to take advantage of her power if it was revealed what she had done for him in that cell.  
And yet it gave him faith, for were his union with Eidra an abomination as the Alfari believed, would they have made such a wonder as Brenna? He caressed her cheek with his thumb, felt her smile.  
The rear door of the van swung open and Lily stepping inside to sit down on the bench seat opposite him.. “How are you feeling?”  
“Would you believe me ere I said I was happy?”  
Lily nodded, “I know I would be. You look like hell, may I?” She leaned forward and he lifted the side of his bloodstained hospital scrubs.  
“Not even a scar. Incredible,” She sat back, as Loki silently cursed Stark's acute attention to his well being, “I don't suppose anyone told you Eidra is back at S.H.I.E.L.D.”  
Loki put his hand atop his head, “Odin's beard, that woman shall gray my hair quicker than any madman.”  
Lily waved at him, “Oh stop, she does what she does for the same reason you do, because you love each other. She said she went back to the manor house, found your horse there and rode to the palace. Even Thor couldn't keep her in Asgard,” Lily reached into the pocket of her jacket, “Hold out your hand.”  
Loki did so. Lily opened hers and Loki felt the round smooth disc drop into his palm. He held the Uruz up with a relived smile, “I thought I should never see it again.”  
“Tony said you'd get the dagger back when you got to the office, just a precaution in case you...”  
“.....had another mental breakdown..,” came a voice from the rear of the van. Tony climbed up into the back of the van to sit beside Lily.   
Loki tilted his head, “Where is your armor?”  
“In the front seat, neat little package it folds into, why? Don't tell me you're planning to have a throwdown.”  
Loki chuckled, “Indeed? I owe you a great debt, metal man.”  
Tony sat back, elbowed Lily and folded his arms, “I think you do but we can hammer out the reciprocal details later, you did say something about farm tours at one point didn't you?” He paused, looked Loki over, “You look like you just stepped out of a concentration camp, buddy. We're going to have to get you cleaned up. Might want to do that first, unless you wanna send your wife into labor, but that's your choice.”  
“Tell me, how did you find me here?”  
“Your friend Martin. He came to New York. Told me everything that had happened and where you might be. We secured David's mansion first then our team took over the hospital. His companion, Anna, is on her way to the hospital. She was a bit worse off than you.”  
Brenna stretched with a shudder and pushed herself up to sit, rubbing her eyes. “You should have told me there were people here, Papa.”  
“You were asleep, hush.”  
Tony held out his hand to Brenna, “I'm honored to meet a bona fide miracle worker.”  
“Mister Stark, you've met me before,” Brenna giggled as she shook his hand.  
“Well that was before I knew you could resurrect the dead. Now I'm twice honored.”  
Lily stood. “We're going to roll in a few minutes. Mister Stark, do you want to take one of the cars?”  
Tony looked at Loki, “Naw, I'll ride with Destructo,” He slapped Loki's knee and grinned.  
As Lily reached the rear of the van, Thor appeared. He backed off to make way for Lily and then jumped up inside of the van.  
“Brother,” he stopped, “The gods wept! I did not realize how truly terrible you looked outside but now that I see you in the light..!”  
“He looks like crap, I know. We're going to fix that.” Tony waved to the seat beside him, “Stay for the ride?”  
Thor sat down, reached across the aisle and clasped Loki's hand in his, “We thought we had lost you.”  
“You could not be so lucky.”   
“Papa!” Brenna chided him, “Do not say such things.”  
Tony laced his hands behind his head, “You know, a year ago I would have agreed with you, but now.....maybe, just maybe, there's a glimmer of hope for you.” He held out his hand fingers slightly apart, “A smidgen.”  
Loki suddenly felt exhausted and he leaned his head back against the wall of the van, “I wish to see Eidra.”  
“You will.”  
He felt the van rumble to life and he closed his eyes as he felt Brenna's head on his shoulder. The ordeal was finally over.

Loki stood in the shower, letting the water pound away the filth of...what had Tony said? Seven days they'd been missing. He leaned forward, a hand to the wall, the other drifting to his side. No scar, Lily had said, no evidence whatsoever of what had happened. And yet it had. Tony was right. Brenna was a miracle. He knew he would not be able to hide her away from the world. She would soon be sixteen seasons. She was a woman. When they returned to Asgard, the first thing he was going to do would be to bring her to the palace and enlist her in combat training.   
He hung his head. Had she been prepared, perhaps she could have fought her way free of her captors. There was much he would need to amend.   
He turned the water off, stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel on the sink before him. As he entered the bedroom of the suite he'd been brought to, he saw a suit lying out on the bed with a note. He picked it up and read it, “Now try not to lose this one...Tony”

Brenna and Lily were waiting in the hallway for him.   
“Papa, you look so much better.”   
She reached her arms about his neck and hugged him. He patted her back, embarrassed at such an affectionate display before Lily but then Brenna was standing back, “Tony gave me a pair of slacks and a shirt. He said it was much more presentable. I told him my mother has seen me in a long shirt, caked in mud with twigs in my hair.”  
“Stark is all about style,” Lily interjected, “Come on, your mother is waiting.”

 

Eidra's back was sore. The babies had been restless, mirroring her emotions. She had been brought to a more comfortable room overlooking the city but she paid little attention to the view. Every movement outside the door made her jump so that she wanted to scream. All she wanted to do was take Loki and Brenna and return home. She missed Cait and Fen dearly. Helgi must surely be beside herself now.   
A knock at the door made her whirl about to see Fury open the door and step to the side. Brenna came rushing in first, “Mama!”  
“My lamb, my baby!” Eidra threw her arms about Brenna's neck, “Oh my, you've lost so much weight! My dearest poppet. We will fix that.”   
“So much has happened, Mama. I have so much to tell you,” But Brenna let her go and stepped aside as Loki walked up to her.  
Eidra put her hand to her mouth as he strode over to her.  
“My heart!” she touched his face, “What did they do to you?”  
Loki took her hand, held it to his chest as he wiped a tear from her cheek, “Let us speak of it later, alone,” he leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear, “Take me home.”  
She closed her eyes as she felt his lips brush the skin at her jaw, “As you will, my prince.”  
Loki stood upright. Turning to Brenna he saw Tony and Thor standing beside Fury. He gestured to Brenna, “Come, it is time to return to Asgard.”  
But Brenna stood unmoving, “Papa, I have to finish school.”  
Loki shook his head, “You have no need to finish school here on Midgard.” he saw Tony turn to Thor as he waved his hand to her.  
Brenna backed away from him, “Yes I do. I have almost finished the year. I have tests coming up that I must take or I cannot advance to the next grade. You do not ken.”  
Loki could feel the old irritation rising to the surface but he fought to keep his voice level, “I ken the ordeal we have just been through happened because you were here on Midgard.”  
“Why? Don't you think she'd be just as important on Asgard?” Tony strode over to Brenna.  
“What do you mean?” Eidra took Loki's arm, “What are you speaking of? Loki what does Stark mean?”  
“On Asgard she would be better protected!” Loki patted Eidra's hand, “She would not be left to wander off alone!”  
“Hey wait a minute,” Tony put his hand up, “Didn't she run away from Asgard in the first place? What went wrong there? Did you forget to lock her in her room that night?”  
Loki felt his anger overtaking him, made worse by the fact that he knew Tony was right. Where would she be safe? Would she ever be safe?  
“In Asgard, I could better watch over her....”  
“Brenna is not coming home with us? My lamb?” Eidra walked around Loki and took Brenna's hands in hers, “I cannot bear this.”  
“You see!” Loki cried, “Think of your mother if nothing else.”  
“I want to finish my schooling! I want to....” She always forgot the word, stamped her foot“..graduate.”  
“What about a compromise?” came a voice behind them. Ororo was standing in the doorway.  
“Brenna listen, if you need work to bring with you, I can provide you with it. You've just come through an ordeal that would break most women. Your family needs you right now. Why not take a break, just for a couple of weeks. Then you can return in time for finals.”  
“He will not let me return,” she pointed to her father, “He will devise a way to keep me in Asgard.”  
Loki felt the color rise to his face, he had been thinking the same thought just before she uttered it, “I admit it would be painful to let her return.”  
“I will go with you if you promise, here before everyone, to let me return for finals.”  
Loki frowned. He was losing the battle.  
“And after these finals, you will return to Asgard for the summer months as we spoke of.”  
He could hear her thought “Oh shit.” and had to suppress a smile as she looked down at her feet.  
“Only if you promise you will let me return next harvest season to start my next grade,” She held out her hand, “Is it agreeable?”  
“No, it is not...however,” Loki clasped hers in return, “I promise.”  
“I'm witness to it.” Tony clapped him on the back, then tilted his head to Brenna, “If he reneges on it, I can get you a good lawyer.”  
“Now may we go home?” Thor sighed.  
Brenna nodded, “We may....oh!”  
“What now?” Eidra sighed.  
“What of Chase?”  
Loki looked at Tony who nodded, “I will inform Mister Wells that you've taken a short sabbatical home. I'm going to look into getting him a job here in the city for the summer. Start him off on a career perhaps. Who knows. He'll be fine, I'm sure he'll...ken.”  
“Tell him I love him.”  
Tony saw Loki grit his teeth, “Will do, kid. See you soon.”  
“Let us try this again,” Thor stood from the doorway. “May we go home?”  
Loki took Eidra's hand, the other at Brenna's back, “Yes.”

Helgi heard the wagon rattling down the road before she saw it. She stood in the dooryard, a load of kindling in her arms, watching until she could make out Eidra and Loki. Dropping the bundle of sticks to the ground, she ran to the manor door and flinging it open.  
“THEY ARE BACK!” her cry echoed through the rooms.  
Loki helped Eidra from the wagon while Brenna jumped down from the side, met by Helgi's wide open arms.   
“Oh my poppet! You are home!”  
Sally came rushing out of the house with Ingrid, Fen and Gunnar right behind.  
“Papa, Mama!” Fen tackled Loki's waist but for a second until he spied Brenna and leapt into her arms, “Bren!!”  
“The little worm is not so little anymore,” she gasped as he fastened himself about her waist.  
Gretten appeared in the doorway, hands on his hips, “At last you have come home. I was about to seek employment elsewhere,”  
He descended the front steps as Loki grasped his hand heartily, “You will have plenty to cook for, you have my word.”   
“Thank the gods. Now I shall prepare a grand feast to celebrate your homecoming.”  
As Gretten disappeared back into the manor, Loki herded everyone inside, stopping at the entrance to feel the stone beneath his hand. Never had home felt so comfortable before as it did now.

 

The house was quiet. Brenna had accompanied Fen to his bedchamber only on the promise that he would try to sleep. A short time later as Loki and Eidra retired to bed, a sleeping Cait draped over Eidra's shoulder, they stopped beside Fen's door listening to Brenna and Fen talking, laughing quietly.  
Loki made to open the door but Eidra put her hand atop his, “Let us indulge them this evening. How often do you hear them laugh together now that Brenna has grown to a woman?”  
He gave Eidra a mock scowl, “Methinks, you are gone soft my love....very well then, let us settle the baby into her cradle so we may have our time alone.”

As he curved his body behind hers, draped his arm over her belly, he felt able, at last, to let the tears come. Eidra turned, holding him to her, letting him wet the bodice of her night dress, soothing him with soft words until at last he lay quiet, tracing figures on her belly with his finger.  
“Brenna is the affirmation of all that is right between us,” he whispered, “We have created a miracle.”  
“All of our children are miracles, my heart.” Eidra curled a lock of his hair around her finger, “ “..but she is special, indeed.”  
“ How will we keep her safe?”  
Eidra drew him closer, felt him kiss her neck and she closed her eyes, “We will teach her, to defend herself as you said. We will give her the Uruz so she may always be able to come home, but we must let her live her life.”  
“Mmmm, I dreamed of you when I was ill.”   
His kisses were numbing her thoughts,“Of what did you dream?” she murmured, reaching beneath the sheets, laughing as he groaned.  
“Dream?.....ah, of the babies, of you without me. I was so afraid...”  
She led him to her. She knew she must be careful, Clotho had cautioned her at his last visit, but tonight she would have her husband and all the love they felt for each other to transport her, carry her from the thought that she would ever be without him again.  
She lay there after their coupling, holding him, her dark prince, her savior, her husband as she looked out the window at the moon. So much had passed, so much was yet to come. New life, the planting season, Brenna's ceremony. She pulled him closer as contentment closed her eyes, drawing her down into her dreams.


	77. Epilogue

“He is going to break his neck,” Loki muttered as he leaned against the rails of the paddock.  
Brynn had started to fuss as Eidra lifted him to her shoulder and started to pat his back. Behind her, she heard another whimper, “Of course Astrid cannot be left out.”   
Helgi gave Astrid her knuckle to worry, “Indeed, why should brother have all the attention?”  
A plaintive curse was heard across the paddock as Chase hit the dirt once more and the others roared with laughter. Blackberry shook her head, pawing the ground as if to challenge him. Brenna gave Chase her hand, pulling him to his feet, “You must be gentle with her.”  
“Gentle with her?” he cried, “She threw me, not the other way around!”.  
“That horse be whipping yo' ass,” Brian laughed, holding his stomach.  
Sophie nudged Brenna, “Get up there and show him how it's done.”  
Brenna rolled her eyes though she was smiling, “If I must...”

Loki watched the teens with no small measure of glee, waiting for the boy's third attempt at Blackberry's saddle. Across the field, Tony and Pepper were walking arm in arm, Tony gesturing to the trees, talking excitedly,   
“He plans to bring people here for the experience of a lifetime,” Loki looked to Eidra, “Can you imagine?”  
“ 'Tis talk is all,” she rubbed her hip against his as he turned his attention back to the paddock only to be drawn away again moments later by Lily who was holding Cait's hand. Cait was currently dragging Lily to Eidra, squealing, “Mamam”  
Eidra looked down at her, “Mamam cannot pick you up, she has brother right now.”  
“Would you like to switch?” Lily panted, “She's got more energy than some of the crazies I've had to run down.”  
Eidra laughed as she handed Bryn to Lily, “Tell me, what do you think of Asgard?”  
Lily nodded, “Aside from the distressing lack of modern conveniences, it's lovely. It's like stepping back in time.”  
“Tomorrow we shall go to the palace,” Loki said though he kept his eyes on the group in the paddock.  
“I can't wait. I'm sure we're not the first Midgardians to see it, right?”  
“There have been others.”  
Loki smiled to himself, few others, in fact. When Brenna had begged him to have a birthday celebration here on Asgard with her friends, he had at first been adamant in his refusal but she had slowly worn him down though his approval, he assured her, meant little. Fury would in all likelihood, deny her request even if Odin himself dropped to his knees and begged permission. After all, it was his call as well as Ororo's. There was the safety of the teenagers to think about, the permission of parents and guardians. Thus his shock was no greater than when Tony stepped up, volunteering to take the teenagers himself. Lily had joined in as well but their offer to accompany was nothing compared to Fury's approval.  
When the word was given, he'd sat in Thor's bedchamber awestruck while Thor roared with laughter. Of course seeing Fury's perturbed expression as they arrived in Midgard to meet the party made his consternation well worth it.

Eidra had set Cait down on the grass again. She was no longer content to stay still for long, preferring to play at Lily's feet while Lily talked to Helgi.  
Eidra slipped her arm around Loki's, “Have you thought more on accepting the invitation?”  
Loki pursed his lips, “I do not know.”  
“It would be a chance to visit Alfheim again. It has been so long since I have seen it.”  
Two weeks past, there had come a knock on the door one evening. Loki had opened it to find Martin standing there on the doorstep hand in hand with a vacant looking blond woman  
He grappled with driving Martin from his land but Eidra had appeared at his elbow and invited Martin and the woman in for cider.  
Martin explained to him that he'd left Midgard for good. That he'd returned to Alfheim to live with Anna who, although not quite herself yet, was on the mend. The ordeal had taken its toll.  
“I would be honored if you would grace my humble home with your presence. I know I cannot hope to amend the bad I've done but perhaps I could try in some small measure to compensate for the dreadful wrongs against your family.”  
He had mentioned ancient spell tomes he had collected from Midgard and Loki was indeed intrigued, though he was loathe to admit it. He thanked Martin for his offer of hospitality before they left, saying he would consider the invitation. With a sad smile, Martin had prodded Anna to give a short curtsey before she stepped into his wagon to leave. Loki was sure she would come around in time. He'd long ago learned that love and time was the only constant, the only healer, the master.

“Perhaps when Brenna returns to Midgard, we will pay him a visit. It is so hard with the babes so little.”  
He smiled as he looked at the twins, sending a silent prayer of thanks. Eidra had been a month early with her labor but she had delivered, at home with the help of Ingrid, Helgi and the midwife, two healthy children.  
“This place is beautiful. Unsullied by pollution, clean and green. God I can feel myself getting healthier by the minute,” Tony leaned on the paddock fence, “Can you imagine? School field trips? Vacations? It'd be like a living history museum. Come on, I'd split the profits with you thirty seventy.”  
Pepper poked him in the side, “So you'd give him a bigger cut than you ever give me?”  
“Well honey,” Tony gestured at Loki, “I mean he owns this place. Besides what's mine is yours and what's mine is mine right?”  
Pepper shook her head as Loki chuckled.  
“It is all money to you, is it not?”  
Tony shrugged, “There's something more? Okay money and health, did I tell you I'm feeling healthier by the minute here?”  
The teenagers were leading Blackberry towards the gate and he unlatched it for them.  
“Have you worked up an appetite with all that effort?” Loki teased them as they trudged out of the paddock, grinning.  
Brenna gave Loki a one armed hug as she passed him.   
“We are starving, Papa.”   
With their new found connections, they had fostered a strong relationship over the summer months. She was now going with him every other day to the palace, learning deportment, developing her combat skills, archery, swordplay. Each day she would ride home exhausted but happy. He began to wonder if in fact she would want to return to Asgard, had hoped she would change her mind only to be disappointed when she would write a letter every week to Chase and Sophie having Thor deliver them when he traveled to Midgard. She had argued that she could use the Uruz and just drop them in a mailbox but Loki had nixed that idea quickly. When she'd mentioned the party, he knew she was determined to return.  
“Well Gretten has promised you will not leave the table hungry,” Eidra nodded to them  
Tony caught up with Loki, “Are you sure you won't reconsider? I mean really sure we can't work out a deal here?”  
Pepper tapped him on the shoulder, “Will you give it a rest?”  
“What? We're just talking shop.”  
Loki shook his head, felt Eidra's hand slip into his and squeeze it. He slid his arm around her shoulder, “It has been a busy day.”  
“It has, my heart. Would you have it any other way?”  
Loki smiled down at her as she leaned into him.  
“No.”


End file.
